The U.S. State Department announced on Friday that Washington will provide Israel with $3.5 billion for the purchase of American weapons and military equipment. This funding, part of a $14 billion supplemental package passed by Congress in April, was appropriated in response to Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed that Congress was notified on Thursday of the government’s intent to release the funds. This move comes as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, with many fearing a broader conflict as Israel’s war in Gaza has already resulted in significant casualties and a humanitarian crisis.
The situation in the region has grown more volatile following the recent killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, both of which have sparked threats of retaliation against Israel.
The latest surge in violence in the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
Since then, Israel’s military response in Gaza has reportedly led to the deaths of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The conflict has displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million in the Hamas-governed enclave, creating a severe hunger crisis and leading to accusations of genocide, which Israel has denied.