Resolution calling for ‘urgent delivery’ of Gaza aid co-sponsored by nearly all Senate Democrats
Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont, who introduced the resolution, spoke next to a large image of a Gazan infant who died
Sen. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, on the Senate floor Monday arguing for Resolution 224. (Screenshot)
(JTA) — A Senate resolution calling for the “urgent delivery” of humanitarian aid to Gaza has received almost unanimous support from Democrats.
The resolution calls on the U.S. government to use “all available diplomatic tools” to release the hostages and end the blockade of food and aid to Palestinian civilians as well as the overall conflict in Gaza.
The resolution is co-sponsored by 44 Democrats and two Independents, according to a statement from the office of Sen. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat who introduced the resolution last week. There are 45 Democrats in the Senate.
Senators debated the resolution Tuesday, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a “basic quantity of food” to enter Gaza amid growing concerns about starvation under Israel’s months-long blockade. President Donald Trump also expressed concern over the starvation in an address Friday, adding that the United States would help “get that taken care of.”
The sweeping support for the resolution among Democrats marks a moment of consensus over the Gaza conflict within the party, which has been divided over how readily to support Israel in its 19-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza.
“The number of senators who chose to support this resolution is striking,” said Hadar Susskind, the president and CEO of New Jewish Narrative. “Criticizing the Israeli government used to be considered political suicide. Now Democrats are responding to the devastating situation on the ground. There’s no reality in which Israel can pursue a strategy of starvation and endless war, and expect to keep bipartisan American support.”
The text of the resolution mentions neither Israel nor Hamas directly, and expresses “grave concern” both for Palestinian civilians and the hostages. The resolution lacks support from the Republican majority. Welch sparred with Sen. James Risch, an Idaho Republican, Tuesday on the Senate floor, over the resolution.
Welch spoke next to a large image of Jinan Iskafi, a 4-month-old Gazan baby whom Amnesty International says died on May 3 as a result of malnutrition.
“It’s not right for aid to be withheld as an instrument of war, and regrettably, that appears to have been a decision that has been made by the Israeli government,” said Welch.
“It’s not right, it’s not necessary, it’s not helpful, and it is extraordinarily harmful to innocent children, to innocent mothers,” he continued. “So my hope is that this Senate would pass a resolution making very clear about our concern about the wellbeing of innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and that food that those Palestinians in Gaza need is right on the other side of the border.”
In his remarks, Risch agreed with Welch about the “suffering that’s going on in Gaza,” but argued that the resolution should assign the blame to Hamas.
“I agree that this needs to stop, but the first thing that needs to be said is that this is the fault of Hamas, and it is not our fault,” said Risch. “And it doesn’t matter if we roll trucks in there tomorrow, that food would be taken, it would be stolen. It would be distributed by Hamas to their fighting soldiers and the dying and the suffering of the women and children would continue.”
