“There was about to be $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday, slamming the Biden administration for its handling of foreign aid.
The Trump administration froze foreign aid over the weekend, pending review. “That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money,” Leavitt added, citing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
This was the first White House press briefing since President Donald Trump took office.
Palestinian terrorists in Gaza began launching improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including condoms and balloons, into Israel’s South in 2017.
Condoms and balloons with explosive devices attached to them landed in schoolyards, agricultural fields, and highways and caused significant physical and psychological damage.
Thousands of hectares of land were burned, and these IEDs caused millions of shekels of damage.
As terrorists learned how to increase their range, in 2019, several balloons with rocket-propelled grenades attached were discovered close to a gas station by security staff at the Midreshet Ben-Gurion educational center near Sde Boker, some 70 km. from Gaza.
Supply of condoms
The condoms were supplied by either local Palestinian organizations or by international humanitarian aid organizations.
The helium was initially imported, intended for medical purposes, with Israel’s approval.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.