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Aid to Gaza and the “$2.1 Billion to Hamas” Claim

 


Carl Higbie’s Claim and Context

On Newsmax TV in August 2025, host Carl Higbie alleged that U.S. aid money intended for Gaza had effectively enriched Hamas. He stated that before aid was cut off under President Trump, USAID sent $2.1 billion to Gaza (including a mysterious $200 million to “miscellaneous” recipients) with “no transparency at all… and that goes directly to Hamas”newsmax.com. In other words, Higbie suggested that $2.1 billion in NGO-delivered aid was diverted to Hamas. This claim echoed remarks by others on his program – for example, former Gov. Mike Huckabee told Newsmax that $2.1 billion in past U.S. Gaza funding was “untraceable” through NGOsnewsmax.com. The $2.1 billion figure appears to refer to the total U.S. humanitarian funding for Gaza over a certain period (for instance, cumulative aid restored in recent years). The key question is whether there is evidence that this money was siphoned off to Hamas rather than reaching civilian needs.

Fact-Checks and Official Findings

Independent fact-checks and official sources strongly contradict Higbie’s $2.1 billion claim. A Reuters investigative report found “no evidence of systematic theft by…Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies” in Gazareuters.com. An internal USAID analysis of 156 reported theft incidents (Oct 2023–May 2025) “found no reports alleging Hamas” benefited from U.S. aid, and noted no indication that Hamas was diverting those suppliesreuters.com. A PolitiFact review (citing that USAID data) likewise concluded there was “no indication of systemic loss” due to Hamas interference – in fact, less than 1% of U.S. aid was affected by any theft, diversion or fraudpolitifact.com. These findings directly refute the idea that billions in aid were handed off to Hamas.

Other credible sources also find no proof of such massive diversion. The Associated Press, for example, reported that while Israel often accuses Hamas of seizing aid, “Israel says Hamas was siphoning it off, though it has provided no evidence of widespread theft”apnews.com. Even some Israeli military officials have privately acknowledged a lack of evidence that Hamas “routinely” steals humanitarian shipments, according to news reports (a New York Times account noted no proof of systematic looting by Hamas)apnews.com. And on the ground, United Nations aid leaders have flatly rejected claims of organized Hamas theft. Cindy McCain, head of the U.N. World Food Programme, said her staff in Gaza saw “no” sign that Hamas was stealing food aid – the chaos at aid trucks came from desperate civilians, “not…any kind of organized” Hamas effortthe-independent.com. In short, major humanitarian agencies and U.S. officials have not observed evidence that Hamas is creaming off the bulk of international aid, let alone on the order of billions of dollars.

Oversight and Misuse Concerns vs. Evidence

It is true that critics have raised oversight concerns about aid to Gaza. Watchdog groups like NGO Monitor have noted large sums that were hard to trace (e.g. over $200 million in USAID grants to unspecified local partners)city-journal.org, and a U.S. House hearing in Feb. 2025 featured witnesses claiming vetting was waived for Gaza relief, allegedly enabling Hamas to benefitoversight.house.gov. These points suggest risk of diversion if proper safeguards fail. However, allegations are not proof. To date no public audit or investigation has confirmed that $2.1 billion (or any similar figure) was diverted to Hamas’s coffers. In fact, no specific evidence has been presented tracing that exact sum to Hamas. Past cases of aid misuse in Gaza have been limited and disputed – for instance, an ex-World Vision manager was accused of diverting funds to Hamas, but independent audits found the alleged $50 million theft implausiblethe-independent.com. The consensus of neutral experts is that while Hamas does exploit some resources, there is no credible documentation that it hijacked billions in NGO aid.

Conclusion

Carl Higbie’s claim that “$2.1 billion” in Gaza aid was transferred to Hamas is not supported by credible evidence. It appears to be a politicized assertion rather than a documented fact. Reputable fact-checkers, U.S. officials, and humanitarian organizations all indicate that there is no proof of such massive diversionreuters.compolitifact.com. Hamas’s corruption and control in Gaza are well-known problems, but the specific figure of $2.1 billion supposedly funnelled through NGOs to Hamas lacks factual backing. On the contrary, available evidence directly contradicts the idea of a multi-billion dollar aid transfer to Hamas, making Higbie’s dramatic claim highly dubiousapnews.comreuters.com.

Sources: Carl Higbie/Newsmax statementsnewsmax.comnewsmax.com; Reuters & AP reportsreuters.comapnews.com; PolitiFact/USAID analysispolitifact.com; Cindy McCain (WFP) remarksthe-independent.com.

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