LEUVEN: The United States welcomes Israel’s latest efforts to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Friday, but said success would be measured in results in improving the situation on the ground.

“Really the proof is in the results, and we will see those unfold in the coming days, in the coming weeks,” Blinken said, speaking along EU leaders in Belgium.

President Joe Biden threatened on Thursday to condition support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza on it taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians, seeking for the first time to leverage US aid to influence Israeli military behaviour.

Israel announces ‘temporary’ opening of aid routes into Gaza

Asked on Israel’s action after Biden’s shift in position, Blinken told journalists Washington will be “closely looking” at specific metrics such as the number of trucks making their way into the Gaza strip and the evolution of famine risks.

He also said Israel needed to make sure the population is protected from its strikes by “maximising every effort to protect civilians”, adding: “We just can’t have so many people caught in the crossfire killed injured going forward.”