Democrats ask US State Department to stop funding GHF and return to UN-led aid delivery
Since May 27, the GHF has been solely in charge of aid distribution in Gaza, where in recent weeks dozens of Palestinians have starved to death. Several reports have alleged that the GHF's private guards or the Israeli military have shot desperate Palestinians as they have sought food at aid sites.
'We urge you to immediately cease all US funding for GHF and resume support for the existing UN-led aid co-ordination mechanisms with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need,' the senators, led by Chris Van Hollen, said in a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied starvation is occurring in Gaza, but President Donald Trump on Monday conceded that what is happening in the enclave is ' real starvation '.
'I see it, and you can't fake that,' Mr Trump said while on a visit to Scotland. 'We have to get the kids fed.' He said the UK and other European countries would join in providing aid to Gaza 'so we're going to set up food centres where people can walk in with no boundaries', he said.
Shocking images of malnourished children have emerged in recent days, prompting accusations that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war.
Since May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while waiting for food near GHF centres, according to the UN. That number prompted the senators to ask whether the State Department had its own assessment of the number of Palestinians killed since GHF took over aid distribution in the enclave.
'Does the State Department assess that civilians have been killed in or around the GHF distribution sites?' the senators wrote. 'If so, how many have been killed and who was responsible for their deaths? Has the State Department requested information from the Israeli government or from GHF and contractors on the ground concerning any incidents of civilian harm?'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
US ambassador receives First Class Order of Zayed II
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed has conferred departing US ambassador Martina Strong with the First Class Order of Zayed II. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented the honour to Ms Strong during a meeting in Abu Dhabi. Ms Strong arrived in the UAE as ambassador in 2023. The veteran diplomat had previously served as charge d'affaires in Saudi Arabia and deputy chief of mission in Bulgaria. She was also in Iraq as the political minister counsellor in Baghdad and as the US Army's political adviser in Basra. During her nearly two years as ambassador, Ms Strong helped in 'strengthening and advancing the strategic relations between the two nations across various fields', Wam reported. Donald Trump to the UAE in May in a historic visit in which the two countries expanded ties.
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
US states and cities boycotting Israel won't receive disaster funds, Trump administration says
US President Donald Trump 's administration has said states and cities will not receive funding to prepare for natural disasters if they choose to boycott Israeli companies. States must certify that they will not cut commercial relations with Israeli companies to receive the money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Reuters reported, quoting grant notices posted last week. The condition applies to at least $1.9 billion on which states rely for search and rescue equipment, emergency manager salaries and back-up power systems, among other expenses. 'DHS [Department of Homeland Security] will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] movement, which is expressly grounded in anti-Semitism," a DHS representative said in a statement to The National. They were referring to a campaign designed to put economic pressure on Israel to end the occupation of the Palestinian territories. "Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding.' More than 30 states already have anti-BDS laws or policies, according to Newsweek. Fema will require major cities to agree to the Israel policy to receive a cut of $553.5 million set aside to prevent terrorism in dense areas. New York City is due to receive $92.2 million from the programme, more than all other recipients. It is the latest example of the Trump administration making use of routine federal funding to advance its political message at the state level. Fema said in July that states will be required to spend part of their federal terrorism prevention funds on helping the government to arrest migrants, which is an administration priority. Mr Trump has said that Fema should be eliminated, and that states should take on more responsibility for responding to and preparing for disasters including extreme weather.
Al Etihad
4 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Early wins for US, but dynamics of EU alliance is changing
4 Aug 2025 23:55 SULTAN KHALIFA AL RUBAEI*Tariffs have once again taken centre stage in US and international trade, following the August deadline set by United States President Donald Trump for countries to present trade agreement proposals or face steep tariffs. The US administration secured deals with several of its trading partners, most notably the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom. However, the global trade landscape now appears to be bracing for profound changes in trade rules that go beyond the post-World War II US agreement with the EU included a 15% tariff on European goods (significantly lower than the 30% previously threatened by the US president), an exemption for pharmaceutical products, and limited exceptions for aircraft and medical equipment. In return, the EU committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of US energy products and investing approximately $600 billion in the US. This agreement secured substantial additional revenue for the American 'America First' policy pursued by the United States in its dealings with both partners and non-partners pushes it toward manoeuvring economic policies. But beyond the deals and manoeuvres lies US-European relations, particularly with the EU, the foundation of which is no longer only partnership, but also competition, or rather, the partnership is taking a backseat in the face of competition. This shift may be attributed to internal divisions among the EU's 27 member states, the multiple challenges facing the ageing continent, and the heavy reliance on the United States when it comes to defence forces. At this time, none of the EU countries can afford the economic strain of a trade the American side, the current administration has shown little regard for the mutual trust in the transatlantic free trade relations, nor for the existing rules of international trade. As a result, there is a possibility that other global actors may adopt similar protectionist policies, posing a threat to the stability of international markets, particularly in light of the tensions that the current environment may create at the level of international trade the changes and uncertainty, the EU chose to stay aligned with America, albeit at a high cost. The newly imposed tariffs place a heavy financial burden on EU-based companies, forcing them to bear additional billions in expenses. While EU member states acknowledge the agreement's potential harm to their economies, they have viewed it as the best possible option under the current circumstances. It may mark the beginning of a longer negotiation process rather than the end, given the limited options available. Without formal trade agreements with Washington, the EU risks being subjected to US terms, leading to imbalanced deals or potential trade United States emerged as the winner in the agreement with the EU. However, the outcome also places a burden on American consumers, who are likely to face higher prices for imported goods as companies pass on the additional costs. This is particularly significant given that Germany is one of the largest exporters to the US, with exports exceeding €161 billion in 2024. Ireland's exports to the US reached €72 billion and Italy's €64 billion in the same year, according to Eurostat, the EU's statistical office. In total, 20% of the EU's goods exports are directed to the United States. This makes the agreement the least damaging option for Europe to avoid a trade confrontation between two allies who together account for nearly one-third of global trade. The effects of this deal may become visible in the US market in the coming this agreement, the US aims to achieve economic balance and address its trade deficit with the EU, which reached $235.6 billion in 2024. Although the deal helps avoid a trade war, it shows that the dynamics of old alliances are shifting, international trade is being reshaped amid global economic uncertainty, and competition for each country to achieve huge gains has become a defining feature of today's international economic and trade relations. *The columnist is a researcher with the think-tank firm, TRENDS Research & Advisory
