US military aid to Israel since Gaza war totals $21.7 billion, study finds

Since the start of the Gaza war two years ago, the United States under both the Biden and Trump administrations has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel, according to a new academic study released on October 7, coinciding with the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel that triggered the conflict.

A separate study, also published by the Costs of War project at Brown University’s Watson School of International and Public Affairs, and cited by the Associated Press, estimates that the U.S. has spent roughly $10 billion more on security aid and military operations across the broader Middle East over the same period.

Both reports, relying largely on open-source information, offer some of the most comprehensive accounts to date of U.S. military support to Israel and the estimated costs of direct American military involvement in the region.

The State Department did not provide an immediate comment regarding the total military aid delivered to Israel since October 2023. The White House referred inquiries to the Pentagon, which manages only part of the assistance.

The reports, drawing on publicly available notifications to Congress, were issued as President Donald Trump pushes for an end to the Gaza conflict. This week, Israeli and Hamas delegations launched indirect talks in Egypt after Hamas agreed to certain elements of a U.S.-backed plan, which Israel also supports.

According to the reports, which are critical of Israel, U.S. assistance has been essential for Israel to sustain its operations against Hamas in Gaza. They also note that tens of billions of dollars in future funding for Israel are projected under existing bilateral agreements.

The primary report details that the U.S. provided $17.9 billion in the first year of the war, during Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration, and $3.8 billion in the second year. Some of this military aid has already been delivered, while the remainder is scheduled for delivery in the coming years. This report was produced in partnership with the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, an organisation that has faced accusations from some pro-Israel groups of being isolationist and anti-Israel, which it denies.

The second report focuses on U.S. expenditures on broader Middle East operations, including strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Iranian nuclear facilities. It estimates total costs at between $9.65 billion and $12 billion since October 7, 2023, including $2 billion to $2.25 billion specifically for strikes in Iran and associated operations in June.

By Tamilla Hasanova