Controversial $30M Gaza Aid Approval Raises Eyebrows

A top U.S. State Department official, Jeremy Lewin, waived multiple safeguards to expedite a $30 million fund for a Gaza aid group, despite failing to meet technical and budgetary standards. This decision, tied to the Trump administration's priorities, sparked controversy owing to overlooked objections from USAID experts.

A senior U.S. State Department official, Jeremy Lewin, is under scrutiny for waiving key counterterrorism and anti-fraud measures to fast-track $30 million in funding for a Gaza aid group with ties to Trump's administration and Israel, Reuters reports.

Despite internal reservations about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) meeting of technical and budgeting standards, Lewin approved the fund allocation within five days of its request. His decision, influenced by the Trump administration's agenda, overrode 58 objections from USAID experts, stressing the need for urgent humanitarian aid.

This controversial move, first reported by CNN, risks heightened scrutiny of GHF – a relatively new organization working in volatile areas. USAID experts raised concerns over GHF's lack of compliance with certain legal and operational standards, echoing broader debates on aid policy and administrative oversight.

(With inputs from agencies.)