US acts to avert Palestinian humanitarian crisis

The US slightly softened its hard-line position against Hamas, agreeing with other potential Middle East peacemakers to set up a new fund intended to avert a humanitarian crisis among the Palestinians.

The surprise agreement yesterday seemed to underscore the fear that months of withholding most aid from the Palestinians, part of an effort to pressure the new Hamas-led government to be more accommodating toward Israel, was harming the Palestinian people.