ISTANBUL / WASHINGTON

The US Congress on Saturday passed a temporary budget proposal that approves new military aid to Israel and halts funding to the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), until March 2025.

The temporary budget expected to be signed by US President Joe Biden today doesn't allocate any funds to UNRWA for a year amidst famine concerns in Gaza.

The temporary budget, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, maintains the increase in military aid to Israel, preventing a government shutdown.

Military aid to Israel continues

The temporary budget allocates $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel from the $886 billion budget for the US Department of Defense.

Another pending $95 billion package designates $60 billion to Ukraine and $14 billion to Israel.

"As I’ve repeatedly said: anyone involved in the 10/7 attacks must be held accountable. That’s why an independent investigation is looking into such allegations against 14 of UNRWA’s 13K workers. But we shouldn't punish 2M innocent hungry people for the actions of those," US Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said on X.

In the early hours of Saturday, a $1.2 trillion funding package was approved by the US Senate following a last-minute consensus, thereby preventing a potential partial government shutdown.

The package, which fully funds the government through September, ends a months-long fight over spending that persisted six months into the fiscal year.

The legislation was approved by a vote of 74 to 24, and will now be sent to the president to be signed into law.

"We have funded the government with significant investments for parents and kids and small businesses and health care workers and military families and so much more. Our efforts have paid off with a strong funding bill that now goes to President Biden’s desk," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X.

Earlier, he had said that an "agreement to complete the job of funding the government tonight" had been reached. "It wasn’t easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it. It is good for the American people that we have reached this bipartisan deal," he said.

The bill includes money for the Department of State, Homeland Security, Defense, Labor and Health and Human Services, as well as funds for foreign operations, financial services and the legislative branch. Another package, which funds the rest of the government, was passed by Congress two weeks ago.