The Trump administration's freezing of hundreds of millions of dollars in Palestinian aid funds may be permanent, according to NPR.
Earlier this year, the administration withheld around $500 million earmarked to help Palestinians, including funds to a United Nations agency. That pushed aid groups to lay off workers and cut back services, including food and mental health programs. The administration said at the time the funds were under review.
While there are a few exceptions to the funding freeze, NPR reports an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict says it doesn't seem likely aid groups will see much of the money.
The news comes after a tense week in the region, with Hamas in Gaza launching rockets into Israel and the Israel Defense Forces responding with airstrikes on the Strip.
