An internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies, challenging the main rationale that Israel and the U.

An analysis conducted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) found no evidence that Hamas systematically stole US-funded humanitarian aid in Gaza, Reuters reported Friday. The findings challenge a justification used by Israel and the US to support a private aid initiative that bypasses the UN system amid deadly distribution chaos in Gaza.

The study also noted that, because Palestinians who receive aid cannot be vetted, it was possible that US-funded supplies went to administrative officials of Hamas.