{"id":2063951,"date":"2023-10-11T18:30:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T22:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-taxpayers-sent-more-than-400-million-to-gaza-since-hamas-takeover-2\/"},"modified":"2023-10-11T18:32:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T22:32:06","slug":"us-taxpayers-sent-more-than-400-million-to-gaza-since-hamas-takeover-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-taxpayers-sent-more-than-400-million-to-gaza-since-hamas-takeover-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Over $400 million sent to Gaza by US taxpayers since Hamas takeover."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fus-taxpayers-sent-more-than-400-million-to-gaza-since-hamas-takeover-2%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2063951&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Hamas\u2062 Fighters in Gaza City<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<figure><figcaption><strong>Image: <\/strong>Hamas fighters\u2064 in \u200cGaza City (Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<h3>The United States&#8217; Investment in Gaza \u200cStrip Development<\/h3>\n<p>The United States has dedicated over $400 million in taxpayer funds to \u2062development projects within the Gaza Strip since\u200b Hamas gained control of the territory in 2007, according to\u2062 government funding documents.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the State Department&#8217;s humanitarian arm, has reported spending approximately $400 million on various development projects\u2063 in the Hamas-controlled territory since 2009.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. funding to the Gaza Strip has gained renewed significance following Hamas&#8217; \u200drecent surprise attack on\u200c Israel, resulting in\u200c over 1,000 \u200ddeaths and numerous injuries. While USAID \u200cclaims the money is allocated for \u2064humanitarian assistance, lawmakers and analysts have long warned that these investments \u2064could\u2062 be misappropriated by \u200cHamas to \u2063fund their terrorism campaign against Israel. \u200bDue to Hamas&#8217; strict \u200dcontrol over the territory, aid groups\u200b operate within\u200b its confines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>U.S. \u2063Aid\u200d to \u2064the \u200dPalestinian \u200dTerritories<\/h3>\n<p>Since President Joe Biden took office in 2021,\u2064 the United\u2064 States has been providing substantial financial support to the Palestinian territories, including\u2063 the Gaza Strip. In that year alone, America spent &#8220;at least $5.5 million in Gaza&#8221; on cash assistance and healthcare \u2064programs. Additionally, the \u2063U.S. donated $90 million to a United Nations organization operating in \u200bthe area, as reported by the Associated \u2062Press.<\/p>\n<p>In mid-2022, \u2062the Biden \u2063administration announced an additional $316 million aid package for the\u2062 Palestinians, which includes projects in the Gaza Strip such as the construction of 4G wireless\u200d networks.<\/p>\n<p>Between 2021 and 2024, the\u200c Biden administration plans to spend &#8220;over $500 million in programming to\u200d support the\u2063 Palestinian people,&#8221; including \u2062those in Gaza, according to separate\u2064 USAID \u200bfunding documents. \u2064This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-taxpayers-sent-more-than-400-million-to-gaza-since-hamas-takeover-2\/\" title=\"Over 0 million sent to Gaza by US taxpayers since Hamas takeover.\">funding \u200cencompasses wastewater \u2062management programs<\/a> in both the West \u200dBank and Gaza,\u200c as well as various <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-taxpayers-sent-more-than-400-million-to-gaza-since-hamas-takeover\/\" title=\"Over 0 million sent to Gaza by US taxpayers since Hamas takeover.\">aid projects targeting vulnerable populations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the administration has allocated \u2063&#8221;up to $250 million over five years to advance peaceful co-existence between Israelis and \u2063Palestinians to enable a \u200bsustainable two-state solution.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It remains unclear how much of this funding was\u200d directly spent in the Gaza Strip, as\u2062 USAID has not provided \u200cspecific breakdowns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>Concerns and Sanctions Waiver<\/h3>\n<p>The allocation of aid funds occurred \u2064despite private\u200d concerns expressed \u2064by the\u200b State Department\u2064 that the money could be misused\u200c by Hamas and other \u200cterrorist groups, as \u200creported by\u2063 the Washington Free Beacon.<\/p>\n<p>In 2021, State Department officials pursued a sanctions waiver \u200dto bypass anti-terrorism measures and proceed with providing \u2064aid\u200b to the\u200c Palestinian territories.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We assess there is a high risk Hamas could potentially derive \u200bindirect, unintentional benefit from U.S. assistance to Gaza. \u2064There is less but still \u2063some risk U.S.\u2064 assistance would benefit other\u200c designated\u2062 groups,&#8221; stated the State \u2063Department \u200cin a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-raised-concerns-palestinian-aid-would-boost-hamas-it-went-ahead-with-aid-anyway\/\" title=\"Despite concerns about Hamas, the Biden administration proceeded with Palestinian aid.\">draft sanctions exemption request circulated internally<\/a> in March 2021. &#8220;Notwithstanding this \u2063risk, State believes it is in our national security interest to provide\u200d assistance in \u200dthe West Bank and Gaza to support the foreign policy objectives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>At the time, the State\u2064 Department publicly downplayed\u2064 concerns about aid being \u200dmisappropriated by Hamas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What \u2062steps can the\u2063 United States take to prioritize transparency and accountability in its assistance to the Gaza Strip, and how can civil society organizations and independent media \u200cplay \u2064a role\u2064 in \u2062holding Hamas accountable<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200cAdministration announced an additional $150 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian territories, including\u2062 the Gaza Strip. This\u200c funding is intended \u200dto address urgent needs such as food, water,\u200b and\u2062 healthcare services\u200c for \u200cthe\u2064 Palestinian people. The administration has\u2064 emphasized \u2063the importance of \u2063supporting the Palestinian people and promoting \u200dstability \u200bin the region.<\/p>\n<p>However, this continued financial support raises concerns about the potential misuse of funds by Hamas. The terrorist group has a long history of \u200ddiverting aid intended for civilian purposes \u200cto support its\u200c military activities, including the construction of\u200b tunnels and the acquisition of weapons. Critics argue that providing\u2064 aid to the Gaza Strip without adequate oversight and \u2062accountability measures only enables Hamas to continue its violent\u200c actions\u2062 against \u2063Israel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>The \u2064Challenge of\u2062 Aid\u200d Distribution in Gaza City<\/h3>\n<p>Gaza\u200b City, the largest city in the Gaza \u200cStrip, has \u2064been heavily impacted by the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.\u2063 The destruction of infrastructure, including homes, schools, and hospitals, has created a \u2064dire humanitarian situation for the residents of the city. The\u2064 need for aid is urgent, \u2062but the challenge lies \u2063in ensuring that the assistance\u2064 reaches \u200cthe intended recipients.<\/p>\n<p>Hamas&#8217; control over the territory presents a significant obstacle to the effective distribution of aid. \u2063The group has a monopoly\u200d on power in Gaza and tightly\u2064 regulates all aspects of life, including the flow of humanitarian assistance. This control allows Hamas to manipulate and exploit aid for\u2063 its own \u200bpurposes, undermining the intended goal\u200c of\u2064 providing support to the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n<p>To \u2064address this challenge,\u200c it\u2062 is\u2062 crucial for the international\u200c community, including the\u200d United States, to work closely with local partners\u200d and aid organizations to establish robust monitoring and oversight mechanisms. These measures\u2063 can help ensure that \u2063aid reaches the most vulnerable \u200cpopulations\u2064 in Gaza City, while \u200cminimizing\u2064 the \u200drisk of diversion by \u200bHamas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>A Call for Increased Transparency and Accountability<\/h3>\n<p>To safeguard\u200c taxpayer funds and ensure that\u2063 aid is effectively reaching those \u200din need, it is essential for the United States to prioritize transparency and accountability in its assistance \u200cto the Gaza Strip.\u200b This includes monitoring the use of funds, evaluating \u2062the\u200c impact of development \u2064projects, \u200cand requiring regular reporting and\u200b audits.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the international\u200b community should actively support\u200c and empower local civil society organizations and independent media outlets in Gaza City. \u200bThese entities can\u200c play a\u200c crucial role in holding Hamas \u2063accountable for the\u2062 use of \u2064aid \u2062and exposing any misappropriation or diversion of funds.<\/p>\n<p>While providing\u200c humanitarian assistance\u200c to \u2063the\u200d Gaza Strip is important, it is equally important to address the underlying causes of\u2063 the conflict and work towards a\u2064 lasting political solution. This includes\u2062 promoting dialogue\u200c between Israeli and \u200dPalestinian leaders, fostering economic development, and supporting initiatives that promote peace, security, and prosperity for both Israelis and Palestinians.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In conclusion, the United States \u2064and other international\u2062 donors must carefully consider the\u2062 challenges and risks associated with providing aid to the Gaza Strip. Balancing the urgent need for humanitarian assistance with the\u200d need \u200bfor transparency and accountability is crucial in order\u2063 to\u2064 effectively support the \u2063Palestinian people and \u200bpromote stability in the \u2063region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The US invested over $400 million in Gaza&#8217;s development projects since Hamas&#8217; control in 2007. Government funding documents reveal that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) spent this amount.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":2063952,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2063951","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063951","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2063951"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063951\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2063952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2063951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2063951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2063951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}