The situation in Gaza and the West Bank following the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025, reflects the impunity that Netanyahu continues to enjoy thanks to the Trump administration and supporters in Congress. 

• Israeli attacks have killed 450 Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza. 
• Israel has escalated its obstruction of humanitarian aid by:
  • Refusing to open the Rafah crossing, a key point of entry for aid, as called for Trump’s 20-point plan
  • Banning 39 aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, American Friends Service Committee, and Oxfam
  • Demolishing the Jerusalem offices of the United Nations Refugee & Works Administration (UNRWA), in violation of international law and a UN mandate.

Instead of speaking out to oppose the banning of humanitarian aid organizations in Gaza, on January 14, 2026, Panetta voted to ban US funding for UNRWA in Palestine. The United Nations set up this agency in 1949 to help Palestinian refugees. With 30,000 employees UNRWA is the most effective aid agency in Gaza and the West Bank. The same vote authorized $3.8 billion in unconditional military aid to Israel.