&w=3840&q=100)
US approves $30 million aid package for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation
The US State Department has approved $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the State Department said on Thursday, calling on other countries to also support the group delivering aid in war-torn Gaza. read more
The US State Department has approved $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the State Department said on Thursday, calling on other countries to also support the group delivering aid in war-torn Gaza.
'This support is simply the latest iteration of President Trump's and Secretary Rubio's pursuit of peace in the region,' State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott told reporters.
Reuters reported earlier this week the United States was giving $30 million to the controversial humanitarian group.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Washington has long backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation diplomatically, but this is the first known US government financial contribution to the organiszation, which uses private US military and logistics firms to transport aid into the Palestinian enclave for distribution at so-called secure sites.
A document reviewed by Reuters showed that the $30 million US Agency for International Development grant to GHF was authorised on Friday under a 'priority directive' from the White House and State Department.
The document showed an initial $7 million disbursement had been made.
The United States could approve additional monthly grants of $30 million for the GHF, said two of the sources, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump vows 3.1% economic growth through ‘Big Beautiful Bill'; promises 7 mn jobs, tax cuts
US President Donald Trump made his final pitch at a White House event Thursday for his massive tax relief and spending cuts package as the Senate eyes a vote in the coming days. Trump was joined in the White House by "everyday Americans" who would benefit from the bill, according to the White House, including waiters, food delivery drivers and border patrol agents. Show more Show less
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
U.S. requires visa applicants to share social media used in 5 years: U.S. Embassy in India
Describing each visa adjudication as a 'national security decision', the U.S. has asked applicants to share their social media usernames or handles for each platform they have used in the last five years. The U.S. Embassy in India shared the information in a brief statement issued on Thursday (June 26, 2025), which also cautioned against 'omitting' social media information, as it could lead to 'visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.' The statement that was posted on X read, 'Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit it.' The communication continued, 'Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.' On June 23, the U.S. Embassy asked those applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa to switch the privacy settings of their social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting, which it said was necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the US under law. The embassy had also said since 2019, the U.S. has required visa applicants to provide 'social media identifiers' on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms. The F or M category is for student visas, and the J category is for exchange visitor visas. In Thursday's (June 26, 2025) communication, the embassy also attached two related digital posters. National security decision 'Every U.S. visa adjudication is a national security decision,' read the caption on the top of a poster, followed by a note. The note read, 'The United States requires visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on visa application forms. We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting.' It comes against the backdrop of an immigration crackdown by the Trump administration in Los Angeles recently. On June 24, the embassy's statement said that the U.S. had increased enforcement of immigration laws, and violators would face detention, deportation, and permanent consequences for future visa eligibility. The U.S. further warned that those entering the country illegally would face jail time and deportation. The U.S. Embassy in India has issued a series of statements on the subject of visas and immigration this month. On June 19, the embassy said a U.S. visa was 'a privilege, not a right,' and its screening did not stop after a visa was issued, as authorities might revoke it if one broke the law. The embassy had also said that using illegal drugs or breaking any of the U.S. laws while on a student or visitor visa could make one ineligible for future U.S. visas. Earlier this month, the U.S. Embassy in India also issued statements, underlining that while people travelling legally to America were welcome, illegal entry or abuse of visas won't be tolerated by the country. The United States 'will not tolerate' those who facilitate illegal and mass immigration to the U.S., its embassy said on June 16, 2025. The U.S. Embassy had said the U.S. had 'established new visa restrictions' targeting foreign government officials and violators.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
US to hold QUAD Foreign Ministers meeting on July 1: State Department
By Reena Bhardwaj Washington DC [US], June 27 (ANI): Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host the Foreign Ministers from the QUAD countries on July 1 in Washington DC for the QUAD Foreign Ministers Meeting, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for US Department of State Tommy Pigott announced on Thursday (US local time). Making the remarks during a press briefing, Pigott said, 'Next week, Secretary Rubio will host foreign Ministers from Australia, India and Japan for the 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting on July 1 in Washington, DC. The secretary's first diplomatic engagement was with the Quad, and next week's summit builds on that momentum to advance a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific. This is what American leadership looks like: strength, peace and prosperity'. Dhruva Jaishankar at ORF Washington DC, spoke to ANI about the expectations and impressions on the American priorities for the QUAD Summit. 'US relations with its Quad partners have been complicated of late, given differences with Japan over defense spending, Australia over AUKUS, and India over Pakistan. For these reasons, even maintaining the Quad agenda going forward is difficult, despite the US concentrating the groups's focus on security, prosperity, tech, and homeland security,' he said. The developments follow after, earlier on June 18, when US President Donald Trump accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to attend the QUAD Summit, which will take place in New Delhi later this year, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had previously informed. The telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump took place on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada. 'For the next meeting of QUAD, PM Modi invited President Trump to India. While accepting the invitation, President Trump said that he is excited to come to India', Misri had said in a video message. The QUAD is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. The QUAD's origins date back to our collaboration in response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Earlier in January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on his first day in office, hosted the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for a significant meeting of the QUAD alliance. 'On day one as Secretary of State, I hosted the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for an important meeting of the Quad. We are committed to strengthening economic opportunity and peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,' Rubio posted on X. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held the meeting with his Quad counterparts--External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, and Australia's Penny Wong--at the US Department of State. In a joint statement, the Foreign ministers of QUAD countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific where 'sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended.' The Quad nations also expressed strong opposition 'to any unilateral actions aimed at changing the status quo through force or coercion.' (ANI)
