The House of Representatives Israel aid bill is under scrutiny for including more than $9 billion in humanitarian assistance, which is significantly more than the annual gross domestic product of the Gaza Strip, as critics say the U.S. is essentially funding Hamas through the bill.
The Israel bill, which passed in a 366-58 vote Saturday, allocates $26.4 billion in aid to the region, including more than $9.1 billion marked as “Migration and Refugee Assistance” and “International Disaster Assistance,” to address the humanitarian needs that arose in the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.