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U.S. Announcement of Humanitarian Assistance to the Palestinian People

October 18, 2023

$100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank. This funding will help support over a million displaced and conflict-affected people with clean water, food, hygiene support, medical care, and other essential needs. The United States provides humanitarian assistance through trusted partners including UN agencies and international NGOs.

Civilians are not to blame and should not suffer for Hamas's horrific terrorism. Civilian lives must be protected and assistance must urgently reach those in need. We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter.

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So, let me end where I began. Israel, you are not alone. The United States stands with you.

I told the story before and I'll tell it again of my first meeting with an Israeli prime minister 50 years ago as a young senator. I was sitting across from Golda Meir at her desk in her office. And she had a guy named — a guy who later became prime minister sitting next to me, just before the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

And she flipped the maps up and down, te- — telling me how bad things were and how terrible they were. All of the sudden, she looked and me, and she said, "Would you like a photograph?"

And I looked at her — she got up from her desk and walked out into that hallway — I think it's marble flooring — walked out in the hallway.

We walked out, and there were a bunch of photographers standing in front of us. We were standing shoulder to shoulder.

Without her looking at me, she said to me, knowing I'd hear her, "Why do you look so worried, Senator Biden?" And I said, "Worried?" Like, "Of course, I'm worried." And she looked at me and — she didn't look, she said, "We — don't worry, Senator, we Israelis have a secret weapon: We have nowhere else to go."

Well, today, I say to all of Israel: The United States isn't going anywhere either. We're going to stand with you. We'll walk beside you in those dark days, and we'll walk beside you in the good days to come. And they will come.

As you say in Hebrew, which I'm not going to attempt to do because I'm such a terrible linguist, I'll say it in English, "The people of Israel live." "The people of Israel live."

Israel will be a safe, secure, Jewish, and Democratic state today, tomorrow, and forever.

May God protect all those who work for peace. God save those who are still in harm's way.

Thank you very much.

5:22 P.M. IDT