Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, is currently on his first official visit to the U.S. since joining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in 2022.

Ben-Gvir's office confirmed Emmer's attendance at the dinner, although the congressman did not respond to inquiries about his stance on bombing aid sites.

Ben-Gvir has also discussed plans for the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, raising concerns about a genocidal agenda endorsed by the Trump administration.

Despite Trump's previous promise to end the conflict, a lasting ceasefire remains unattainable.

He made these remarks following a meeting with Republican lawmakers, including Congressman Tom Emmer, on April 23, 2025.

Since March 2, Israel has blocked essential supplies from entering Gaza, leading to reports of famine in the region.

Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice concerning its actions in Gaza.

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini described the situation in Gaza as a landscape of desperation, with widespread hunger and the use of humanitarian aid as a weapon of war.

Humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza have been severely impacted, with the UN reporting that all 2 million residents are trapped and in desperate need of supplies.

Since the beginning of the war initiated by Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, over 51,300 Palestinians have reportedly been killed according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

During a dinner at Mar-a-Lago hosted by former President Donald Trump, Ben-Gvir claimed that senior Republican officials support bombing food and aid depots in Gaza to increase military and political pressure.

Emmer, a prominent supporter of Israel, has publicly attributed the high civilian death toll in Gaza to Hamas rather than Israel.