Funding Request for Gaza Relief: A Closer Look
Washington, D.C. — A group led by the United States has requested an initial $30 million from the Trump administration to support ongoing aid efforts in Gaza. According to U.S. officials and the organization’s funding appeal, this is a crucial step in maintaining humanitarian assistance in the region.
The request provides early financial insights into the Gaza Humanitarian Fund and its operations. The fund anticipates needing about $150 million monthly once its aid sites are fully running, which amounts to a staggering $1.8 billion annually. Since late May, the organization claims to have distributed millions of meals to Palestinians in southern Gaza, as escalating conflict and an ongoing blockade push the area toward famine.
Despite these efforts, there have been almost daily shootings, resulting in Palestinian casualties as they attempt to collect aid. Major humanitarian groups have accused the fund of complicity with Israel’s military objectives in its prolonged struggle against Hamas, arguing that this undermines humanitarian principles.
This funding request was submitted to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) ahead of significant changes as the Republican administration looks to streamline foreign assistance by merging USAID with the State Department. Reports indicate that the government has tentatively decided to approve the funding, although the usual oversight specific to foreign aid grants has been noticeably expedited.
In a letter accompanying the request, Gaza Humanitarian Fund Secretary Loik Henderson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to partner with the U.S. in sustaining lifesaving operations. Responses from the State Department and Henderson have yet to materialize.
Israeli officials view this foundation as crucial to establishing a new aid system that reduces the control of organizations like the United Nations, which they claim has been exploited by Hamas. The foundation’s approach aligns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy to concentrate populations in southern Gaza, thereby allowing Israel to focus military efforts elsewhere.
Aid workers worry that this could pave the way for Netanyahu’s controversial aim of facilitating "voluntary" migration of Palestinians from Gaza, which critics say would essentially amount to forced displacement.
The United Nations and various non-profits have voiced concerns about the fund’s transparency and operational independence, saying it lacks commitment to neutrality in war zones. Since the organization began operations, many Palestinians have lost their lives or sustained injuries in the crossfire while trying to access aid distribution points.
The Israeli military contends that claims of targeting civilians are untrue, stating that they often create warning shots and only engage suspects who disregard these warnings.
It remains unclear who is funding this new initiative in Gaza, as no donors have been publicly identified. The State Department noted that the U.S. is not currently financing the operation. Documents supporting the funding request reveal that nearly $119 million was secured for operations in May from unspecified governmental donors, with hopes for an additional $38 million in June alongside the $30 million from the U.S.
The appeal does not indicate any support from private philanthropy or other funding sources.
