Senator Chris Van Hollen has accused the United States of being complicit in the hunger crisis in Gaza, where 93% of people face severe food insecurity. The Democratic senator made the statement on CBS’s Face the Nation after viewing photographs of starving children in Gaza.
Van Hollen said that President Trump did nothing to address the situation despite visiting the region and that the US blockade is part of a collective punishment that is illegal under international law. The UN has also criticized the proposed US-backed private operation, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, saying it does not meet its basic principles of impartiality and neutrality.
The World Health Organization and other world leaders have urged Israel to lift its blockade on aid entering Gaza, which they say will help alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinians. The World Health Organization has warned that without immediate access to food and essential supplies, the situation in Gaza will continue to deteriorate, causing more deaths and famine.
Van Hollen called on President Trump to call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to allow aid to enter Gaza, saying it’s “very hard to look at those pictures” of starving children. The US president has advocated for turning Gaza into a “freedom zone,” which has been widely disapproved by the global community, including the UN.
UN officials have emphasized that there is no daylight between President Trump’s and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s positions on Gaza.
Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/van-hollen-us-complicit-starving-gaza-1235342129