US aid to the Middle East has played a significant role over the years in the economic and security development of the region, furthering stability and strategic partnerships.

The United States has pledged massive aid packages to support Palestinian civilians in Gaza, becoming the largest single country humanitarian donor to the Palestinian people.

Most recently, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in October an additional $135 million in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and the region.

The move brought total US humanitarian aid to more than $1.2 billion since a year prior.

The funding has provided vulnerable Palestinians food, safe drinking water, health care, protection, education, shelter and psychosocial support, according to the US State Department.

Meanwhile, China has promised just a fraction of the total US amount. In May, President Xi Jinping pledged just $69 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza.

Beijing in August also donated only $3 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to support health services and emergency food assistance in the Gaza Strip.

The relatively small sum provided by the world's second-largest economy is on par with the level of trust Palestinians have in China's sincerity in helping mediate an end to war, Ahmed Aboudouh wrote for the Atlantic Council in December 2023.

Assistance to Egypt

For the past 40 years, the United States has maintained a strategic partnership with Egypt, rooted in military cooperation, economic aid and shared interests in Middle Eastern stability.

The United States has provided Egypt with almost $90 billion in foreign aid since 1946, transforming Egyptian lives.

The funding has played a crucial role in eliminating polio in Egypt, according to the US State Department.

US initiatives have reduced maternal mortality by 78%, enhanced the livelihoods of over half a million smallholder farmers and trained 115,000 primary school teachers, benefiting five million children across 16,000 schools.

More than 20,000 Egyptians have participated in US exchange programs, and 450 Egyptians travel to the United States annually on professional and academic exchanges facilitated by the US embassy in Cairo.

In contrast, China's involvement in Egypt, while economically significant, has not matched the depth of US contributions.

Skepticism has arisen, as analysts warn that Chinese involvement in key parts of the Egyptian economy, especially the Suez Canal economic zone, may have dire long-term consequences.

Beijing's approach has focused more on infrastructure investments and trade, rather than the comprehensive economic, social and military assistance provided by the United States.

This difference highlights the unique role the United States plays in supporting Egypt's broader developmental goals, compared to China's self-serving, transactional investments.