The Biden administration’s plan to supply aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip displaced by the war between Israel and Hamas has moved forward with a new shipment of medicine, food and nutrition assistance.
A U.S. Air Force C-17 delivered 24.5 metric tons of U.N. humanitarian supplies to Egypt for ground transport into Gaza and distribution by the United Nations. Medical supplies will replenish Gaza’s health system. Further flights of supplies will continue.
So far, the United States has provided 500,000 pounds of food assistance and plans for $100 million in aid.
USAID also notes that “the United States is also by far the largest donor to the U.N.’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza, including the largest contributor to UNRWA, the primary implementer on the ground in Gaza.”
UNRWA, or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, has previously received its share of criticism, with Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) calling the organization on Nov. 8, “an incubator of hate for young people especially, who then become 14-, 15-year-old terrorists because they’ve been taught since they were four to hate Jews and to hate Israel.”