The Palestinian Authority’s (PA) controversial “pay-for-slay” policy, which provides stipends to individuals killed or imprisoned while committing—or accused of committing—attacks against Israelis, continues to draw international scrutiny. According to the U.S. State Department, funding for the program reached approximately $200 million in 2025, highlighting the scope of the policy that both rewards past violence and incentivizes future attacks.

This funding comes amid ongoing U.S. aid to the PA, which totaled at least $46.5 million in 2025. Critics argue that taxpayer dollars should not indirectly support a system that encourages terrorism and destabilizes the region. Many advocates have called for a complete halt to all U.S. assistance until the PA dismantles the so-called “Martyrs and Prisoners” fund entirely.

Observers note that the program has significant political and security implications. By providing monthly stipends tied to acts of violence, the PA reinforces a framework where attacks against civilians and security forces are financially incentivized, complicating efforts toward peace and undermining the rule of law.

Supporters of ending the program stress that U.S. leverage is critical in pressuring the PA to change its policies. They argue that continued funding without reform effectively allows the perpetuation of a cycle of violence, while cutting aid until the fund is eliminated sends a clear message that rewarding terrorism is unacceptable on the international stage.

The “pay-for-slay” program remains a focal point in discussions of U.S. foreign assistance to the Palestinian territories, with growing calls for accountability, oversight, and structural reforms to ensure American aid promotes stability rather than violence.