Israel opposed to ‘unilateral’ ceasefire in Lebanon, Netanyahu says | CNN

The US demand that Israel improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza lays bare a tension between the two countries’ governments and growing frustration in Washington, an Israeli expert told CNN.

The continued operations of the Israel Defense Forces in the enclave’s north complicate efforts to deliver humanitarian aid, Yaakov Katz, a senior columnist at the Jerusalem Post, told CNN’s Lynda Kinkade.

Earlier, CNN reported the Biden administration sent a letter to Israel demanding it acts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within the next 30 days or risk violating US laws governing foreign military assistance, suggesting US military aid could be in jeopardy.

The Israeli government is reviewing the letter, CNN analyst Barak Ravid and Reuters reported.

“This is just part of that growing frustration as America nears its general election in just a couple of weeks. They want this war behind them,” Katz said,

Israel still perceives the war as “existential,” according to Katz. He said the conflict appears to be going “quite well” for Israel compared with the days following Hamas’ October 7 attack a year ago, which took Israel by surprise.

On Hezbollah, Katz said Israel decided last month to change the equation, as seen in its pager and walkie-talkie attacks, the killing of top leadership within the Iran-backed organization, and the impairment of their long-range missile capabilities.