Washington DC - The Republican-led House passed a $14 billion aid package for Israel on Thursday, defying President Joe Biden's request to also include more money for Ukraine and other pressing priorities.

The bill, which diverts funding budgeted to the US tax collection agency, is almost certain to fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate, while Biden has also threatened to veto it.

The White House has requested a larger, multifaceted package of support for both Israel and Ukraine, as well as humanitarian aid for Gaza and additional funding for US border-related projects.

But debate over the key issues is just beginning in earnest after a weeks-long delay while House Republicans struggled to name a new speaker, and it is unclear what, if anything, can get through both chambers.

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Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress want to promptly adopt military aid for Israel, which has been waging all-out war on Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attack.

Things get more complicated, however, when it comes to Ukraine. Biden's pledge of uninterrupted financial support, restated when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington in September, looks to be in jeopardy.

A handful of Democrats joined with almost all Republicans in support of the separate funding bill.

Newly-elected House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana suggested that aid to Ukraine should be discussed later.

"We cannot waste any time getting Israel the aid it needs," Johnson told a news conference Thursday morning, without mentioning Gaza and the ongoing humanitarian catastrophy in the strip.