The US House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected an amendment to halt aid to Israel, despite support from nearly half of Democrats, reflecting a growing rift between American progressives and Israel over its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

The House voted 314 to 104 to reject the measure, which was introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky as an amendment to the State Department spending bill.

However, 103 Democrats and one Republican supported it, a sharp shift from the years when pro-Israel bills were passed almost unanimously. Left-leaning Democrats are pushing to end US aid to Israel in their campaigns for the congressional midterm primaries, while moderate Democrats advocate sending funds used only for defensive weapons.

Massie is a strong opponent of all forms of foreign aid, but he said he was also responding to the heavy civilian casualties from Israeli attacks in Gaza. He said during a House debate, '70,000 have fallen in Gaza, and I don't think we should be part of that.'

The amendment he introduced would have prevented the use of any funding in the appropriations bill for Israel and halted the $3.3 billion annual security aid that Washington sends to Israel.

According to Israeli statistics, fighters led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) killed 1,200 people during a cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Gaza Health Ministry said the subsequent Israeli offensive on the strip has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians.

Large areas of the strip have been reduced to rubble. Nearly all of Gaza's population of about two million, most of whom have been displaced multiple times, now live in a narrow strip along the coast, most in tents or damaged buildings.

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