During the discussion of the State Department funding bill, the US House of Representatives added a provision prohibiting US diplomats from citing statistics from the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The amendment would prevent US diplomats from discussing casualty figures announced by the Palestinian ministry.

On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 269 to 144 in favor of amending the State Department appropriations bill proposed by a bipartisan group led by Rep. Jared Moskowitz (Democrat from Florida, funded by AIPAC). This provision prohibits the provision of funds appropriated under this law to the State Department to cite statistics that have been Obtained from the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

The amendment received bipartisan support, with all but 14 Republicans voting yes, and Reps. Paul Gosar (Ariz.) and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) being the only ones to vote against. Democratic support was divided, with 114 voting for and 69 voting against. The Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives chose neither to support nor to oppose the amendment.

In its ongoing war since October 7, Israel has killed nearly 38,000 citizens, most of whom are women and children, while more than 85 have been wounded, most of whom are also women and children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Many of the injured suffer life-changing wounds. The director of the United Nations Palestinian aid agency (UNRWA) estimates that more than 2,000 children, or approximately ten children per day, have lost their legs since October 7.

Before the Israeli war on Gaza, the Gaza Ministry of Health figures were generally considered accurate, and were regularly cited by Western media. During Israel's Iron Swords operations, the corporate press began covering up these numbers by asserting that Hamas ran the Ministry of Health whenever the numbers were reported.

However, many human rights groups and officials believe that the official figures are an underestimate. Save the Children estimates that in addition to the 15,000 dead Palestinian children counted by the Ministry of Health, there are 4,000 others who were not counted because their bodies were not recovered.

During debate on the Moskowitz Amendment, Palestinian-born Rep. Rashida Tlaib criticized these provisions as part of a decades-long coordinated effort by the House of Representatives to “erase Palestinians from existence.”

"Today, we are witnessing Israel's apartheid government carrying out genocide in real time. This amendment is an attempt to hide it," Tlaib said. She added: "My colleagues do not even want to acknowledge the existence of the Palestinians at all."