Senator Van Hollen Accuses Israeli Government of ‘Textbook War Crime’ While Describing ‘Humanitarian Horror Show’ in Gaza

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) painted a bleak picture of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which Israel invaded after the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis. Another 240 Israelis were kidnapped.

Gaza officials say more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed in the small territory as a result of Israel’s response. More than 85% of the 2.3 million Gazans there have been displaced. In recent days, the Israel Defense Forces have been launching strikes in the city of Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians have taken refuge.

President Joe Biden has warned Israel not to proceed with its attack “without a credible plan for ensuring the safety and support” of the civilians there. Privately, Biden has complained to staff that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu largely ignores him, though the president keeps sending unconditional aid to Israel.

Speaking on the Senate floor on Monday, Van Hollen said that aid should be contingent on Israel adhering to its obligations under international law. First, he cited an analysis from the World Food Program and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund while describing the situation in Gaza in grim terms.

He noted that scores of small children and pregnant women are severely malnourished and that Gazans are starving to death in part because Israel has severely limited the amount of aid coming into the country. In some cases, Israeli civilians physically block aid from entering Gaza as IDF soldiers watch.

The senator continued:

So, earlier today, I asked the head of the World Food Program – former American ambassador Cindy McCain – about these reports. I sent her a note, a text message asking about reports that some children have now crossed the awful threshold from being on the verge of starvation or dying of starvation. She wrote back, and I quote, “This is true. We are unable to get in enough food to keep people from the brink. Famine is imminent. I wish I had better news.” End quote.

Madam President, I want that to sink in. Kids in Gaza are now dying from the deliberate withholding of food. In addition to the horror of that news, one other thing is true. That is a war crime. It is a textbook war crime. And that makes those who orchestrate it, war criminals

Last month, the Senate roundly rejected a resolution requiring the U.S. Department of State to investigate whether Israel has committed human rights violations in Gaza. The measure would have been a first step toward determining whether aid should be withheld from Israel under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which requires Congress to provide military aide in accordance with human rights conventions.

Van Hollen, who voted in favor of that resolution, said Biden needs to act:

First and foremost, the president must demand that the Netanyahu government immediately allow more food and water, and other lifesaving supplies into Gaza and make sure it reaches the children and other people who are starving, including in the north. A few weeks ago, 25 senators wrote the president a letter outlining some of those steps. To my knowledge, none of those five steps have been implemented by the Netanyahu government.

Second, unless and until the Netanyahu government allows more relief into Gaza, President Biden needs to invoke Section 620-I of the Foreign Assistance Act. Madam President, here’s the exact language of that section of the Foreign Assistance Act. “No assistance shall be furnished under this chapter of the Arms Export Control Act to any country when it is made known to the president that the government of such country prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.”

Now, about three weeks ago, I asked senior State Department officials to tell me why this law – section 620-I of the Foreign Assistance Act – has not been applied. Tell me how it’s not the case that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not restricting – directly or indirectly – the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance when we have the humanitarian horror show that I just mentioned. Well, I haven’t gotten an answer to the question I posed about three weeks ago. And the answer, Madam President, is there is no good answer to that question.

Van Hollen spoke ahead of a procedural vote on a $95 billion aid package to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The measure, which needed 60 votes, passed 66 to 33.

Watch above via C-SPAN.