24 DAILY NEWS – Amidst a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the future of U.S. funding for a critical aid organization hangs in the balance.
Washington, D.C. — As famine grips Gaza and U.N. experts warn of mass starvation, Republicans in Congress are advancing legislation to permanently block U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) — the primary distributor of food aid in Gaza.
Last week, the GOP-led House Appropriations Committee voted to bar financial support for UNRWA in the upcoming fiscal year, reinforcing a blockade first imposed in March 2024. The move comes as 24 DAILY NEWS reports that Gaza’s humanitarian situation has reached its worst point since the siege began.
Defunding UNRWA in the Midst of a Crisis
The proposed ban is part of a $46 billion national security and State Department funding bill that also slashes other foreign aid programs and allocates $3.3 billion in military assistance to Israel.
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The legislation would also withhold funding from the U.N. Secretariat unless it releases an unredacted August 2024 investigation into Israeli claims that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7, 2023 attacks. That investigation found nine employees — out of 13,000 in Gaza — “may” have played a role. All nine were fired.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), chair of the appropriations subcommittee, hailed the measures as part of an “America First foreign policy.”
Impact on Gaza’s Aid Lifeline
UNRWA has long been the largest humanitarian operator in Gaza, distributing aid through more than 400 sites. Its suspension has created a massive gap that other agencies cannot fill.
Yara Asi, a global health expert at the University of Central Florida, told 24 DAILY NEWS the link between UNRWA’s defunding and Gaza’s famine is undeniable:
“No one can replace UNRWA. They were warned that cutting it off would lead to a humanitarian disaster — and now that disaster is here.”
While some European countries have restored UNRWA funding, the U.S. under President Donald Trump has diverted resources to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — a group criticized after Israeli forces killed hundreds during its food distributions.
Political Divisions in Washington
On Sunday, 21 Democratic senators led by Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to stop funding the GHF and return to “UN-led aid coordination” — without explicitly naming UNRWA.
A bill to restore UNRWA funding, introduced by Rep. André Carson (D-Ind.) in March, has gained support from progressive lawmakers but faces steep opposition in the pro-Israel majority.
“We are heading towards a large-scale mass starvation in Gaza if something doesn’t happen,” warned Hassan El-Tayyab, legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation.
UNRWA Ready but Blocked
UNRWA says it could deliver 6,000 truckloads of aid into Gaza immediately if Israel grants access. But with the House proposal advancing, the agency’s U.S. funding future remains bleak.
Even President Trump, who has echoed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on most issues, acknowledged Monday that “children are starving” in Gaza — though he offered only a vague promise of “food centers” without committing to UNRWA’s reinstatement.
For aid experts and observers, the reality is stark: without restoring UNRWA’s role, famine in Gaza will deepen. And as 24 DAILY NEWS has reported, the decisions being made in Washington today will determine whether Gaza’s population survives the coming months.
