The U.S. government faced internal debates and policy paralysis over whether to withhold military aid to pressure Israel, which hindered effective responses to the escalating crisis in Gaza.

As the conflict intensified, Gaza was confirmed to be in famine by August 2025, with the U.S. response criticized for being inadequate amid severe humanitarian suffering.

Efforts to deliver aid through land routes and mechanisms like a floating pier were largely ineffective due to Israeli restrictions, protests, and bureaucratic delays, resulting in minimal aid reaching Gaza.

The U.S. attempted to mitigate the crisis with costly measures such as constructing a floating aid pier and conducting aid airdrops, but these were only marginally effective and faced criticism for inefficiency.

Aid organizations and officials criticized the Biden administration for focusing on symbolic gestures like aid airdrops and the floating pier, which they saw as insufficient substitutes for more effective land-based aid and political pressure.

Despite initial criticism of efforts like Jordanian parachute aid drops, the U.S. later adopted similar tactics, though these measures were widely seen as symbolic and ineffective in addressing the crisis.

Following Israel's near-complete siege of Gaza after October 2023, aid delivery was severely restricted, with aid trucks looted and the overall humanitarian situation rapidly deteriorating, especially in 2024.

The Israeli blockade and military operations caused severe food shortages and a critical lack of aid, with the humanitarian situation worsening as Israel focused on military objectives.

The U.S. faced internal criticism that its focus on Israel’s security and political considerations hampered effective humanitarian action during the crisis.

Throughout the crisis, the U.S. struggled with coordination and political challenges, which limited the effectiveness of aid efforts and contributed to the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza.