President Joe Biden recently announced that his administration would be providing $100 million in funding for humanitarian aid for Gaza, claiming that the money would be used only for the emergency needs of Gazans and that the aid would end if Hamas steals it.
Biden said, “Today I am also announcing $100 million in new U.S. funding for humanitarian assistance in both Gaza and the West Bank. This money will support more than one million displaced in the conflict affecting Palestinians including emergency needs in Gaza.”
Continuing, he added, “Let me be clear, if Hamas diverts or steals the assistance, they will have demonstrated once again that they have no concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people, and it will end. As a practical matter, it will stop the international community from being able to provide this aid.”
ABC News reporter Matt Rivers, describing one problem with the aid, noted that it would likely conflict with the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. He said, “On Israel’s part that would entail allowing aid to go into Gaza and presumably would entail Israel stopping the air strikes that have pummeled the southern part of Gaza near the Egyptian Border.”
BIden announces $100M in humanitarian aid in Gaza and West Bank. @mattriversabc: "On Israel's part that would entail allowing aid to go into Gaza and presumably would entail Israel stopping the air strikes that have pummeled the southern part of Gaza near the Egyptian Border." pic.twitter.com/3xtxnRh7B0
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) October 18, 2023
Rivers was far from the only one to criticize the Biden plan. Former President Donald Trump did as well, saying, “This is being led by Iran and you would have never seen this happen. You wouldn’t have seen Ukraine happen either.”
Continuing, in comments made during a break in his civil trial for fraud in New York City, the former president and 2024 presidential contender asked a reporter, “You had something about the fact that Biden is sending $100 million to the Palestinians?”
He then described the aid as inappropriate given what Israel has suffered, saying, “I think right now, it’s totally inappropriate. It’s so inappropriate to be doing that right now. He’s over in Israel and he’s giving money to the Palestinians. I think it’s very inappropriate.”
Watch Trump here:
Whatever the reasoning behind the Gaza aid, President Biden has remained staunchly in Israel’s corner. In his Thursday night address to the nation, he said, “I met with the Prime Minister and members of his cabinet. And most movingly, I met with Israelis who had personally lived through horrific horror of the attack by Hamas on the 7th of October.”
He continued, “More than 1,300 people slaughtered in Israel, including at least 32 American citizens. Scores of innocents — from infants to elderly grandparents, Israelis, Americans — taken hostage. As I told the families of Americans being held captive by Hamas, we’re pursuing every avenue to bring their loved ones home. As President, there is no higher priority for me than the safety of Americans held hostage.”
He then firmly condemned Hamas, saying, “The terrorist group Hamas unleashed pure, unadulterated evil in the world. But sadly, the Jewish people know, perhaps better than anyone, that there is no limit to the depravity of people when they want to inflict pain on others. In Israel, I saw a people who are strong, determined, resilient, and also angry, in shock, and in deep, deep pain.“
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