The images of emaciated children coming out of Gaza have moved some of Israel’s staunchest supporters in the United States Congress to decry the humanitarian situation in the besieged Palestinian territory ravaged by Israeli-imposed starvation. Many US Democrats are calling for aid to urgently enter Gaza, but few are condemning Israel for its deadly blockade on the territory.
Senator Bernie Sanders described the situation in Gaza as an “extermination” campaign, saying, “This is the reality: Having already killed or wounded 200,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the extremist Israeli government is using mass starvation to engineer the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.” Sanders’ comments reflect the growing frustration among some lawmakers with Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen hit out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Trump for replacing humanitarian aid groups in Gaza “with mercenaries – leading to more death and devastation.” Van Hollen emphasized that “every day, the horrors in Gaza reach new, unimaginable depths.” He added, “This cannot continue.”
Congressman John Garamendi suggested that Israel’s “dangerous and wilful failure to enable humanitarian aid” in Gaza amounts to genocide. “Israel has the ability and the means to deliver adequate food to the Palestinians,” Garamendi said. “They also have the obligation under international law to deliver it; it’s the choice of Prime Minister Netanyahu not to feed Gaza.”
Not all US lawmakers who spoke on the issue were as forceful in their criticism of Israel. Some failed to point the finger at Israel, while others prefaced their mild criticism of the US ally with customary condemnation of Hamas. Congresswoman Grace Meng repeated pro-Israel talking points about the humanitarian situation, saying that “Israel has facilitated the entry of over 1.8 million tons and over 96,000 trucks into Gaza, while Hamas continues to hold hostages, extort the aid system, and refuse ceasefire deals to stay in power and prolong the war.”
In contrast, Congressman Wesley Bell spoke out against Israel’s actions, saying, “I’ve always supported Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. That hasn’t changed. But supporting this government’s actions – allowing children to starve and firing on civilians seeking food – is something I can’t stand by. This isn’t self-defense. It must stop.”
The crisis in Gaza has sparked a growing divide within the US Congress, with some lawmakers calling for greater accountability and others continuing to support Israel’s actions. As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, it remains to be seen how the US Congress will respond to the growing humanitarian crisis.