By MATTHEW LEE and ELLEN KNICKMEYER, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has authorized providing $30 million to a U.S.- and Israeli-backed group that is distributing food in Gaza, a U.S. official said Tuesday, an operation that has drawn criticism from other humanitarian organizations.
The request is the first known U.S. government funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid distribution efforts amid the Israel-Hamas war. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic issue involving a controversial aid program.
The announcement comes as violence and chaos have plagued the new food distribution sites since opening last month. GHF says no one has been killed at the aid sites themselves and that it has delivered 44 million meals to Palestinians in need.
Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds heading to the sites for desperately needed food, killing hundreds in recent weeks. The Israeli military says it has fired warning shots at people it said approached its forces in a suspicious manner while going to the sites.
Israel wants the GHF to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Along with the United States, it accuses Hamas of stealing aid, without offering evidence. The U.N. denies there is a systematic diversion of aid.
Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
The Associated Press reported Saturday that the American-led group had asked the Trump administration for the initial funding so it can continue its aid operation, which has been criticized by the U.N., humanitarian groups and others. They accuse the foundation of cooperating with Israel’s objectives in the 21-month-old war against Hamas in a way that violates humanitarian principles.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters earlier Tuesday that she had no information to provide on funding for the foundation.
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