Humanitarian crisis in Gaza needs urgent attention: WH

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON

The U.S. believes that the humanitarian situation in Gaza requires immediate attention, the White House said Tuesday.

"The situation in Gaza must be solved for humanitarian reasons and for ensuring the security of Egypt and Israel," it said in a written statement following a conference led by Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to President Trump and his son-in-law, over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza that took place Monday.

"It is also a necessary step toward reaching a comprehensive peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians, including Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank," it added.

According to the White House, the conference was built upon a meeting held in Cairo, Egypt, last week, and will carry ideas forward to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) which is a coordination mechanism for development assistance to the Palestinian people, meeting in Brussels, Belgium, at the end of the month.

U.S. media reports said the conference Monday was convened in Washington and attended by representatives of 20 nations, including Israel, Gulf states, and several European countries.

However, the Palestinian Authority refused to attend the meeting due to the Trump administration’s policy regarding Jerusalem.

In the absence of Palestinians, the statement said the attendees discussed concrete proposals for finding "realistic, effective approaches" to the challenges Gaza currently faces.

It added that the dialogue will continue in order to take "tangible steps toward making meaningful improvements" in the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza.

On Dec. 6, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, triggering world outcry and protests across the Palestinian territories.

Following the decision, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said his country would not accept a future role for the U.S. in the Middle East peace process.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the perennial Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

Home to some two million people, the Gaza Strip has groaned beneath a crippling Israeli/Egyptian embargo first imposed in 2007 after Hamas wrested control of the coastal enclave from forces loyal to the PA.