H.R.7565 - Food for Palestinian Children and Families in Gaza Act of 2026
H. R. 7565 was introduced February 12, 2026 by Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA-43). It is currently pending before the House Foreign Affairs committee and has 17 co-sponsors on a partyline basis.
Related legislation:
Bill Summary: H. R. 7565 requires the Secretary of State, within 30 days of enactment, to certify to Congress that oversight policies are in place to ensure sufficient food assistance reaches Gaza’s civilian population. The certification must confirm that aid distribution is structured so children can receive at least three nutritious meals per day and other civilians at least two. H. R. 7565 requires aid distribution to be developed in coordination with international partners, including the World Food Program, UNRWA, other UN agencies, international NGOs, donors, the Government of Israel, and Palestinian representatives as appropriate. The bill also requires the State Department to submit a public report detailing the amount of food aid entering Gaza, the number of people served, the donors providing assistance, and how the aid is distributed, and to promptly notify Congress if food assistance intended for Gaza is denied entry, diverted, or misused.
Context: The humanitarian situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and requirements for aid distribution, remains extremely fragile following the famine caused by the blockade of Gaza. Following the outbreak of the war with Iran, Israel closed crossings into Gaza and imposed stringent inspections and restrictions on humanitarian aid, significantly delaying delivery of urgently needed food to Palestinian civilians. While humanitarian aid deliveries increased after the October 2025 ceasefire until March 1st, 2026, the flow remained a fraction of what was required to meet civilian needs. Aid deliveries continued to face significant logistical constraints imposed by the Israeli government. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 34 percent of the 1,098 aid trucks that passed through the Egyptian corridor in February were offloaded. These delays highlight persistent disruptions and bottlenecks in aid distribution that result in civilians not receiving lifesaving food.
Before the war with Iran, the Israeli government sought to ban 37 international humanitarian organizations which would be key partners in implementing the goals of H.R. 7565. Although Israel’s High Court temporarily halted the effort, such restrictions would significantly disrupt existing humanitarian logistics networks and undermine the ability of aid organizations to distribute food assistance across Gaza. If implemented, these restrictions would reduce aid access further and increase the risk that Palestinians do not receive even the bare minimum level of food assistance necessary for survival.
H.R. 7565 seeks to address these challenges by requiring the Secretary of State to establish oversight processes and coordinate with established United Nations humanitarian partners that possess extensive logistical networks and operational capacity in Gaza. By mandating coordination with UN agencies, Israel, and representatives of the Palestinian people, while also setting minimum meal requirements, the legislation aims to leverage U.S. diplomatic influence to ensure food aid is delivered more consistently and to reduce delays caused by inspection regimes and distribution barriers. However, it is important to note that meal requirements alone may still allow for caloric deficiencies.
American Values Analysis: H.R. 7565 aligns with American values by seeking to ensure that civilians facing severe humanitarian conditions receive lifesaving food assistance. Ensuring that children and families have access to basic nutrition reflects longstanding American commitments to humanitarian relief, protection of civilians during conflict, and the prevention of famine and mass suffering.
American Interest Analysis: By requiring coordination with international and local partners in Gaza to ensure food assistance reaches civilians, H.R. 7565 supports American interests in preventing humanitarian collapse and regional instability.
A New Policy’s Recommendation: SUPPORT
A New Policy supports H.R. 7565 because it requires the Secretary of State to build the infrastructure to deliver lifesaving food to Palestinian civilians while establishing reporting requirements that enable congressional oversight.
For more information please contact: Josh Paul, (202) 770-0055, info@anewpolicy.org
