The United States will provide $53 million in additional aid to support
humanitarian programmes that are delivering desperately needed assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, officials said on Tuesday.
The new package will bring the total amount of US aid delivered to Gaza during the conflict to $180 million, according to White House officials.
“There’s no question that much more aid is needed to address the critical and urgent needs on the ground,” John F. Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters at a White House news briefing on Tuesday. “That’s why President Biden and the entire team continue to work every day to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, while also prioritising the safety of civilians and aid workers.”
Kirby also said that providing more humanitarian aid to Gaza was a critical part of the American push for a temporary cease-fire, which would allow for hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack in Israel on October 7 to be released.
Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, announced the new aid package. The funding would support organisations that are helping to combat severe water shortages and the spread of infectious diseases at shelters.
