U.S. Provided $21.7 Billion in Military Aid to Israel Since Gaza War Began, Report Reveals
A new study from Brown University and the Quincy Institute reveals the U.S. has sent at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since October 2023—funding that researchers say made Israel’s sustained campaign in Gaza “possible.” Full report on EpochPost.
Two years after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel, a new academic report exposes the scale of American military support that has enabled Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza—now linked to the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
According to a joint analysis by the Costs of War Project at Brown University and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, the United States has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since the war began—$17.9 billion under President Joe Biden in the first year, and $3.8 billion in the second year under the Trump administration.
The report, authored by senior researcher William D. Hartung, states plainly:
“The devastating damage the current Israeli government has done to Gaza and its people would not have been possible without U.S. financing, U.S.-supplied weapons, and U.S. assistance with spare parts and maintenance.”
Aid Includes Weapons, Logistics, and Future Commitments
The military aid encompasses fighter jets, bombs, artillery shells, and critical logistical support—including spare parts and maintenance for U.S.-made systems like F-16s and Apache helicopters. Much of this assistance was authorized through long-standing bilateral agreements, but accelerated dramatically after October 2023.
In addition, the U.S. has spent an estimated $9.65 to $12 billion on broader Middle East operations over the same period—including strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen and the June 2025 bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities.
Human Cost Behind the Numbers
While the figures are staggering, Hartung emphasizes that the true toll is measured in human lives:
“Our research highlights numbers, but we must never lose sight of this key fact: What we’re talking about is human suffering.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry—widely regarded by the UN and independent experts as credible—reports that more than half of the 67,160 killed were women and children. Nearly 170,000 others have been wounded, and vast swaths of the territory lie in ruins.
Meanwhile, families in Gaza marked the second birthday of children born on October 7 with no toys, no vaccines, and no safe home—only tents, fear, and displacement.
Diplomatic Context: Peace Talks Amid Ongoing Bombing
The reports were released as Israeli and Hamas delegations began indirect ceasefire talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, mediated by the U.S. and Arab partners. The negotiations follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for a phased deal that includes the release of remaining hostages and a partial Israeli withdrawal.
Yet even as talks proceed, Israeli airstrikes have continued. In the past 24 hours alone, at least 19 more Palestinians were killed, according to Gaza officials.
The U.S. insists that bombing must stop for hostages to be released—but Israel claims it is conducting only “defensive strikes.”
International Reactions
The Vatican marked the war’s second anniversary by condemning both the October 7 massacre and Israel’s “disproportionate” destruction of Gaza, urging nations to halt arms transfers to Israel.
“Those who are attacked have a right to defend themselves,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, “but even legitimate defense must respect the principle of proportionality.”
Accountability and Transparency
The State Department declined to confirm the aid figures, and the White House referred questions to the Pentagon—which oversees only part of the assistance. Much of the data comes from public congressional notifications, though future commitments could push total U.S. support into the tens of billions over the coming years.
Critics argue that such unconditional backing undermines U.S. credibility on human rights and prolongs the conflict.
As Hartung concludes:
“Without U.S. support, this war could not have continued at this scale or intensity. That is not speculation—it is documented fact.”
2. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-217-billion-military-aid-israel-war-gaza-126279491
4. https://apnews.com/article/us-arms-sales-israel-trump-bb8b4e67fd77c723ed45308054eefefe
