Key points
- $10 billion spent across Middle East
- Israel relied on US support
- Future funding for Israel already planned
WASHINGTON: Since the Gaza invasion began two years ago, the United States has given Israel at least $21.7 billion in military aid under both the Biden and Trump administrations, according to a new study published Tuesday by the Costs of War project at Brown University’s Watson Institute.
A separate report from the same project estimates that the US has spent around $10 billion more on military support and operations across the wider Middle East during the same period. Both reports rely mostly on publicly available sources and provide a detailed account of US support to Israel and its military involvement in the region, reports AP News.
The State Department has not commented on the findings. The White House referred all queries to the Pentagon, which manages only part of the assistance.
The main report, co-authored with the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, claims Israel would not have been able to maintain its military offensive in Gaza without this level of US support. It notes that significant funding for Israel is already planned through existing bilateral agreements.
Criticism from pro-Israel groups
The report details that $17.9 billion was provided during the first year of the conflict, under President Joe Biden, and $3.8 billion in the second year. Some of this aid has already been delivered; the rest is expected in the future.
The Quincy Institute has faced criticism from pro-Israel groups, accusing it of being “isolationist and anti-Israel”, claims the organisation denies.
According to AP the second study, which examines US military actions beyond Israel — including strikes in Yemen and Iran — estimates spending between $9.65 billion and $12 billion since 7 October 2023. This includes $2 billion to $2.25 billion for the June strikes on Iran and related operations.
The reports were released as indirect talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Egypt, following Hamas’s acceptance of parts of a US ceasefire proposal.
