Jerusalem conditionally backs including Gaza aid in US security package for Israel

Israel supports US President Joe Biden’s inclusion of humanitarian aid for Gaza in the $106 billion national security package that he presented to Congress last month to fund Washington’s security support for Israel and Ukraine, a senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel. However, the official clarified that this support from Israel is conditioned on the aid meeting specific criteria, which Israel is raising with US lawmakers who are currently working to advance the aid package. These include differentiating between short-term, emergency assistance, which must be fully coordinated with Israel, and funding for rehabilitating Gaza after the war. Israel is also asking for post-war funding to include aid that will help bolster security along Egypt’s border with Gaza to ensure the enclave is not re-militarized in a “post-Hamas Gaza,” according to the senior Israeli official.