Biden-Harris Administration Faces Lawsuit for Obstructing Gaza Aid Investigation and Pressuring Israel

The Biden-Harris administration is facing a federal lawsuit for allegedly obstructing an investigation into its efforts to funnel unprecedented amounts of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and pressure Israel to end its military campaign against Hamas. The lawsuit, filed by the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), accuses the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of withholding key documents related to the administration's behind-the-scenes diplomatic actions.

CASA, a government watchdog group, sued USAID on Tuesday after the agency failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted in March. The request sought internal documents about USAID’s campaign to inject aid into Gaza through organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has been criticized for employing Hamas militants involved in the October 7 terror attacks on Israel.

Despite the legal obligation to comply with FOIA requests, USAID has not handed over any documents, leading to CASA’s lawsuit. “USAID has not met its statutory obligations to provide the requested records, and it appears USAID does not intend to meet them absent litigation,” the lawsuit states, as obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

The documents in question are critical to understanding how USAID, under the direction of Samantha Power, managed its aid distribution in Gaza, particularly through UNRWA. Power, who visited Israel in February, publicly pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to improve compliance with international humanitarian law—a move that some interpreted as an accusation that Israel was intentionally targeting civilians in Gaza.

The lawsuit also seeks to uncover Power’s private communications with various advocacy groups, including American Muslims for Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, which have been vocal in their opposition to Israel’s military actions and have orchestrated anti-Israel protests across the U.S. CASA argues that these communications could shed light on USAID’s narrative that Israel was creating a famine in Gaza, a claim that was later debunked.

CASA is also requesting all communications between USAID and major media outlets, such as CNN and the New York Times, surrounding Power’s February trip. These media organizations have faced criticism for their coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with accusations of publishing propaganda and erroneous casualty figures provided by Hamas.

This lawsuit follows a series of reports revealing the Biden-Harris administration's cooperation with anti-Israel groups. Earlier this year, it was reported that the State Department coordinated with Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), a human rights group critical of Israel, in efforts to isolate Jewish Israelis living in the West Bank.

Samantha Power has been a controversial figure within the Biden-Harris administration, especially regarding her role in restarting American funding to UNRWA and her stance during the 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas. Power notably refused to meet with the Israeli ambassador during that conflict, insisting that a ceasefire be agreed upon first.

As the legal battle unfolds, the administration's handling of Gaza aid and its broader Middle East policy will likely face increasing scrutiny.

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