House Republicans Probe Whether US Taxpayer-Funded Humanitarian Initiatives Are Aiding Hamas
Republican lawmakers are currently investigating whether U.S. aid for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank has reached Hamas, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to records obtained by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reduced its funding for the Palestinian regions from around $286 million in fiscal year 2017 to approximately $18 million in fiscal year 2020. USAID also ceased its funding support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
After President Joe Biden assumed office in 2021, USAID began increasing foreign aid for the Palestinian regions again. However, the renewed funding raised concerns. A 2021 draft memo by the U.S. State Department, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, expressed worry that Hamas and other U.S.-designated terrorist organizations could benefit from this renewed U.S. aid.
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“The 2021 draft memo by the U.S. State Department states that there is a high risk that U.S. assistance to Gaza could potentially indirectly benefit Hamas, given its overall strength and control over the region. There is also some risk that other designated groups could benefit from U.S. aid,” according to the draft memo.
Following the breach of the Israel-Gaza barrier by Hamas gunmen on October 7, resulting in numerous casualties and the abduction of around 200 hostages, the House Oversight Committee expressed further concerns about USAID spending.
The letter stated, “The scale and severity of the Hamas atrocities that began on October 7th in Israel indicate that significant financial resources were utilized for these attacks. Public reports indicate that the Islamic Republic of
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