A senior civil servant of the US State Department has given up nine guarantees to combat compulsory and anti-fraud terrorism to precipitate a price of $ 30 million last month to a controversial group of assistance to Gaza supported by the Trump administration and Israel, reported the Reuters news agency, citing an internal memorandum.
Jeremy Lewin, a former partner of the Government Ministry (DOGE), signed the price despite an assessment of the memorandum that the GHF financing plan did not comply with the “minimum technical or budgetary standards” required.
The action memorandum of June 24 in Lewin was sent by Kenneth Jackson, also a former DOGE agent who is an assistant director of the American Agency for International Development (USAID). The couple supervised the dismantling of the agency and the merger of their functions in the State Department.
Lewin also canceled 58 objections according to which the USAID staff experts wanted GHF to resolve in his request before the funding approved, the Reuters news agency reported, citing two sources familiar with the problem.
Lewin, who heads the State Department’s foreign aid program, only authorized funds five days after the GHF submitted its proposal on June 19, according to the “Memorandum of Action” of June 24, bearing its signature.
“A strong administrator support for this one,” Lewin wrote to the leaders of the USAID in an email of June 25, reported Reuters, who urged the disbursement of the funds by the agency “ASAP”.
Lewin and Jackson did not comment on the issue.
The documents highlight the priority that the Trump administration has given GHF despite the group’s lack of experience and the murder of hundreds of Palestinians near its Gaza aid distribution centers.
The GHF, which is coordinated closely with the Israeli army, recognized the violence reports, but affirms that they have occurred beyond its area of operations.
Lewin noted in the email that he had discussed funds with aid to Steve Witkoff, the negotiator of President Donald Trump on Gaza and the office of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He recognized that the authorization of the funds would be controversial, writing: “I take the ball on it.”
‘Inhuman and deadly’
There was no comments from the White House.
Reuters said Witkoff and Rubio had not answered a question of knowing if they were aware and supported the decision to give up the guarantees.
The State Department told Reuters that the $ 30 million had been approved under a legal provision allowing USAID to eliminate prices in response to “emergency situations” to “meet humanitarian needs as quickly as possible”.
“The GHF price remains subject to rigorous surveillance, including GHF operations and finances,” the statement said. “As part of the reward, GHF has been the subject of new control and report requirements”.
A GHF spokesperson told Reuters: “Our model is specifically designed to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. Each dollar that we receive is safeguarded to guarantee all the resources – which will possibly include American funds for taxpayers – reach the inhabitants of Gaza. ” The spokesperson added that these requests for clarification of the US government on fund requests were routine.
Speaking on the nine conditions that have been canceled, the spokesman said: “We answer each question in accordance with the regulations and the normal procedure and will continue to do so as required.”
The Gaza Ministry of Health said that at least 743 Palestinians had been killed and more than 4,891 others injured when they asked for help from GHF help sites.
The GHF, which began to operate in the Palestinian enclave bombed at the end of May, aroused many criticisms in the midst of multiple reports that its entrepreneurs, as well as the Israeli forces, opened fire on rescue seekers.
The main humanitarian groups and human rights have required the immediate closure of the GHF, which they have accused of “forcing two million people in overcrowded and militarized areas where they face daily shots and mass victims”.
Amnesty International described the group’s operations as a “inhuman and deadly militarized scheme”, while the UN insists that the model violates humanitarian principles.
The Palestinians under bombing in Gaza, where a famine is looming while Israel maintains a paralyzing blockage, has no choice but to request the help of the GHF despite the risks involved.
