US State Dept announces aid to Gaza; too little too late?

Today, the State Department announced that the US will provide more than $71 million in "additional life-saving humanitarian assistance to help meet emergency needs in Gaza," noting that "[m]ore than 58,000 people are still sheltering in United Nations facilities and basic necessities like food, clean water, and fuel remain in short supply throughout the territory."

Good. That aid is much needed.

However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the US appears to be playing both sides of this conflict.

Israel, which US officials repeatedly refer to as our "ally", remains the largest recipient of military assistance, having received some $3.1 billion in military aid last year alone.

Our $71 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza pales in comparison.

And it seems ironic, given that our aid to Israel has contributed to the need for our aid to Gaza.