Biden-Harris administration accused of prolonging Gaza war by blocking aid to Palestinians, says Sen. Cotton.

A letter from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development revealed that some of the $1 billion in American taxpayer money may have been redirected to Hamas.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli, was executed by Hamas just weeks before Cotton made his shocking claim.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was criticized by Cotton for its ties to Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

The senator stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that it is clear that no more American taxpayer money should be given to UNRWA, and all aid to Gaza should be stopped immediately.

According to a report by Planet Chronicle Digital last month, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon stated that the UNRWA has been seized by Hamas terrorists due to its involvement in scandals.

In his letter to Samantha Power, the administrator of USAID, Cotton expressed his grave concerns about the possible misuse of over one billion dollars in U.S. humanitarian aid sent to Gaza since October 2023. As he had predicted from the beginning, credible reporting indicates that Hamas terrorists have diverted this aid, and indisputable evidence demonstrates that the aid was always at risk of diversion.

The Gaza war has been prolonged, aid has flowed to Israel's enemies, and taxpayer funds have been misused under the Biden-Harris administration, according to him.

Last month, USAID announced $336 million in additional humanitarian funding for Gaza, Judea, and Samaria. On the same day, the United Nations recognized that Fateh al-Sharif, a Hamas leader in Lebanon killed in an Israeli airstrike, was employed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Despite extensive evidence of its ties to Hamas, UNRWA remains a major USAID partner and a chief conduit for U.N. humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Judea and Samaria is also known as the West Bank.

Nearly 1,200 people, including over 30 Americans, were slaughtered by Hamas during their invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

UNRWA Washington Office Director William Deere stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the Senator's office should have contacted them before making accusations against Cotton. The letter contains numerous errors, and the assertion that providing aid to desperate people prolongs a war is unsubstantiated. UNRWA is not a partner with USAID, and the letter's addressee, USAID Administrator Power, is the wrong person to whom to write if the Senator's concerns are with UNRWA.

According to Ambassador David Satterfield, the only reliable information on possible aid diversion by Hamas in Gaza is from his recent statement, which said, "No Israeli official has presented evidence of diversion or theft of assistance delivered by the U.N."

Despite protests, including the closure of UNRWA's Lebanon field office for several months and ongoing threats against UNRWA staff, Fateh al-Sharif was placed on administrative leave without pay in March and the Agency investigation was proceeding.

The USAID Inspector General pointed out several "flaws and weaknesses in its overnight procedures" for Gaza aid, including inadequate screening of local partners, over-reliance on self-reporting of terrorist ties from partners, and inadequate vetting by U.N. partners.

He implored Power to promptly halt all assistance until taking substantial and trustworthy measures to prevent American taxpayer funds from supporting terrorists.

USAID denied allegations against it, stating in a Planet Chronicle Digital statement that it does not fund UNRWA and never did prior to October 7, 2023. USAID also emphasized its risk mitigation procedures and close collaboration with the Israeli government to ensure the safety of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. The agency added that it has not received any evidence to support the claims made in Senator Cotton's letter.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson informed Planet Chronicle Digital that the United States stopped funding UNRWA in January after learning about allegations that some UNRWA staff may have been involved in the October 7th attacks.

The U.S. Congress banned any U.S. funding of UNRWA until at least 2025. In response, we have redirected our assistance to other partners and avenues to help Palestinians. We also support efforts to enhance UNRWA's impartiality and neutrality, including addressing allegations of ties to terrorism.

The State Department spokesperson stated that UNRWA is not a terrorist organization and that it plays a vital role in providing assistance to Palestinians, including education, health, relief, and social services programs, as well as emergency assistance in several countries.

In July, Israeli lawmakers approved the first reading of a bill that would sever ties with the UNRWA agency and classify it as a terrorist organization. Knesset member Yulia Malinovsky, the bill's sponsor, referred to UNRWA as "a fifth column within the State of Israel" and argued that it was long overdue for the agency to be banned in the country.

In July, the House Foreign Affairs Committee of Congress passed initial legislation to expand upon an existing funding freeze of the multimillion-dollar organization and instruct the State Department to recover any previously donated funds.

The US suspended aid to UNRWA after Israel exposed that Hamas terrorists, including those involved in the Oct. 7 massacre, were employed by the organization.

Senator Cotton's analysis did not include the fact that the Israeli Government had not informed UNRWA about any concerns regarding Agency staff since 2011.

Cotton spokesman to Planet Chronicle Digital: Power and USAID lack proper vetting process to prevent aid from reaching terrorists. If UNRWA is the only distribution system in Gaza, Power should reconsider sending aid there. Taxpayer dollars should not fund a group that has assisted in the kidnapping and murder of Americans.

The Biden administration swiftly reinstated funding for UNRWA, which was halted by the previous Trump administration.

The Israel Land Authority (ILA) is taking possession of UNRWA's headquarters land in Jerusalem to construct 1,440 housing units, according to Israel Hayom's report from last week.

The paper reported that new evidence has emerged, revealing the extent of UNRWA's collaboration with Hamas in the Gaza border massacre and their role in providing aid for murder and kidnapping. As a result, a significant step has been taken against the refugee agency for the first time.

Planet Chronicle' Ruth Marks Eglash contributed to this report.