Sen. Cruz: White House Using UN, UNRWA as 'End Run around Congress' to Funnel Gaza Pier Aid

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Biden administration plans to use the "entire U.N. family" of aid organizations to funnel humanitarian assistance from the Gaza pier recently constructed by the Pentagon in the Mediterranean. That would include working with UNRWA, the United Nations Relief & Works Agency, which Israel has repeatedly accused of employee participation in the Hamas atrocities last October 7th.

According to a report in The Washington Free Beacon, the aid effort is being directed by USAID, headed by Samantha Power.

Another official from USAID, Daniel Dieckhaus, told reporters, "It is definitely a U.N.-wide participation," although the Free Beacon reported that U.S. officials would not divulge how much aid involvement would take place through UNRWA, which has taken a leading role for decades in channeling billions of dollars through the U.N. for food, housing, schools, and according to investigative reporter David Bedein, instructing youth how to conduct terrorist attacks against Israel.

Last December, Bedein told CBN News during a two-part series here and here"The people in the UNRWA camps have been training their young people for this very (October 7th) attack. The kids are trained to kill without any hesitancy, without any feelings."

Late last week, Power announced the pier is part of a joint aid effort headed by the U.S., Arab nations, the U.N., and international donors. 

Reuters reported Tuesday that according to CENTCOM, the U.S. military command, more than 569 tons of aid have now been delivered to Gaza.

Last month, Power told a congressional hearing that UNRWA is "at the heart of the response" to the humanitarian efforts in Gaza and that the U.S. was continuing to work through the agency even after Congress froze its funding because of the ties Israel had uncovered between UNRWA and Hamas terrorism.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) told the Free Beacon, "The Biden administration is using the Gaza Pier to do an end-run around Congress and funnel resources through UNRWA, which means they're funneling resources to Hamas."

He added, "It's another disgraceful example of just how far they are willing to go as part of their pathological obsession with undermining Israel."

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