House Democrats Urge Biden Administration to Take Action in Response to Conflict in Gaza

Dozens of House Democrats have called on President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take action in response to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. In a letter, the 55 members of Congress condemned Hamas’ brutal attack that left more than 1,200 in Israel dead, calling it the “worst perpetration of violence inflicted on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”

The group outlined five specific priorities for the Biden administration, emphasizing international laws on warfare, the swift facilitation of humanitarian aid and the importance of denouncing hate on either side of the conflict. They also urged the administration to pressure Israel into taking steps to limit harm to Palestinian civilians trapped and struggling to flee their increasingly ravaged homes in the northern Gaza Strip.

The situation in Gaza is dire, with bombs continuing to fall and the Israeli army telling people in the north to flee south. Clean water, food and fuel are running out, electricity hasn’t been reliable in days, and the Rafah crossing, on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, is also shuttered. Haneen Okal, a Palestinian American from New Jersey, told NBC News on Saturday that she had been at the crossing all weekend after she received notice from U.S. officials to stay close.

The letter from House Democrats comes as the Biden administration is facing increasing pressure to take a stronger stance on the conflict. The administration has already called for an immediate ceasefire, but many are urging them to do more to ensure the safety of civilians and to ensure that humanitarian aid is able to reach those in need.

The situation in Gaza is dire and the Biden administration is facing increasing pressure to take a stronger stance on the conflict. The House Democrats’ letter outlines five specific priorities for the Biden administration, emphasizing international laws on warfare, the swift facilitation of humanitarian aid and the importance of denouncing hate on either side of the conflict. It is now up to the Biden administration to take action and ensure that the safety of civilians is protected and that humanitarian aid is able to reach those in need.