President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that the United States would be sending $100 million in humanitarian aid to go towards Gaza.
During a press conference in Tel Aviv, Biden clarified that the money would “support more than 1 million” people in Gaza who had been displaced due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization.
Biden’s announcement comes after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel in which thousands of rockets were fired and more than 250 people attending a music festival near the Gaza border were left dead and many hundreds more were brutally killed and tortured. Hamas took almost 200 civilians hostage, including Americans.
“I’m also announcing $100 million in new U.S. funding for humanitarian assistance in both Gaza and the West Bank,” Biden said.
President Biden announced $100 million in new U.S. funding for Gaza and the West Bank during his visit to Israel.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 18, 2023
“This money will support more than 1 million displaced and conflict-affected Palestinians, including emergency needs in Gaza.” https://t.co/UleVBruEA9 pic.twitter.com/1ImW5Y9bEg
“This money will support more than 1 million displaced and conflict-affected Palestinians, including emergency needs in Gaza,” Biden continued.
Biden explained during his press conference that he had spoken to the Israeli government’s cabinet regarding delivering humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and had come to an agreement “that there will be inspections, and aid should go to civilians, not to Hamas,” according to The Hill.
Hamas is described as being a “spin-off” of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s, a militant group Hamas overtook, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) website.
The group took control of Gaza after defeating its rival political party in 2006. Hamas governs more than two million people who live in Gaza, according to the CFR.
The White House added in a press release regarding Biden’s announcement, that the U.S. provided humanitarian assistance through United Nations (UN) agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“Civilians are not to blame and should not suffer for Hamas’s horrific terrorism,” the White House added. “Civilian lives must be protected and assistance must urgently reach those in need. We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter.”
The humanitarian aid will move from Egypt to Gaza. Currently, trucks containing humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza have been stuck at Egypt’s border with Gaza, according to Politico. Civilians in Gaza have been cut off from access to things like food, water, and medicine.
Biden’s announcement comes a day after a blast at a hospital in Gaza reportedly left hundreds of people dead. The Israeli government said that an errant Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket had been responsible for the explosion at the hospital in Gaza. Immediately after the blast Hamas and others incorrectly blamed Israel for the explosion.
At least 1,400 people have been reported dead as a result of Hamas’ attack on Israel, including 30 Americans.
