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Palestinians to end ‘martyr’ payments soon, US official tells ‘Politico’

A senior Biden administration official told the publication that there has been “a great deal of work” behind the scenes on the “pay-for-slay” program, “and the progress is encouraging.”

Samantha Power Abbas
USAID Administrator Samantha Power met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Feb. 29, 2024. Credit: USAID.

The Palestinian Authority is close to signing a deal to shutter its program compensating families of terrorists, instead launching a general social-welfare service, Politico reported on Friday.

The “martyr payments,” also called “pay for slay,” cost the Palestinian Authority “$300 million annually, at 8% of its budget,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and other members of Congress stated last July.

“There’s been a great deal of work on this behind the scenes, and the progress is encouraging,” a senior Biden administration official told Politico.

“Another administration official confirmed changes to the system were expected soon,” Politico added. “That said, as with all things involving Israel and the Palestinians, new roadblocks could emerge.”

The dramatic switch came two days before Election Day, following Stevens’s growing rift with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed over Israel and antisemitism.
The unequivocal remarks come in reaction to allegations of ties between Michigan Senate Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and the Islamist group.
Defense collaboration remains the focal point of the bilateral relationship, continuing despite political or diplomatic hindrances.
Another commander in Hamas’s “military” wing also died in the strike in central Gaza.