The $118.3 billion Senate foreign aid and border security package does not include funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), a U.N. agency accused by Israel of having 12 employees involved in the October 7 attack on Israeli civilians.
The legislation allocates $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilian populations in Ukraine and Gaza, including measures to prevent diversion to Hamas or other terrorist groups.
While UNRWA will not receive U.S. funding during the investigation into the allegations against its former employees, the total humanitarian aid allocated to Gaza remains unchanged.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stated that nine of the accused UNRWA workers have been fired, and two others have died.
Senator Bernie Sanders urged the administration to restore funding to UNRWA, emphasizing the need to avoid a humanitarian disaster despite the allegations.
Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, argued against suspending funding to UNRWA, likening it to disbanding an entire police force due to the actions of some members.
