Lisa Grande, the Biden administration’s Middle East aid envoy, is said to have made demands around Israel’s humanitarian approach in Gaza in a heated phone call with Ghassan Alian, the chief of the Israeli military body responsible for Palestinian civil affairs (COGAT), Al Jazeera quotes Israel’s Channel 12 as saying.

Grande reportedly demanded during the call that Israel publicly declare it is not following a policy of deliberately starving Palestinians in Gaza.

She also demanded Israel cancel all evacuation orders issued for civilians and allow evacuated Palestinians to return home, as well as present a comprehensive plan for reducing harm to civilian infrastructure, the report said.

Channel 12, citing unnamed US officials, reports the call was heated but remained constructive, despite Alian reportedly being “stunned” by the demands.

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