U.S. senators urge Biden to stop arming Israel

Eight senators sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden urging him to stop supplying weapons to Israel that "interferes with U.S. humanitarian assistance."

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and seven Democrats said Monday in the letter that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu government's interference with humanitarian operations has prevented U.S. aid from reaching its intended recipients in a safe and timely manner.

The senators stressed that Netanyahu government's interference in U.S. humanitarian operations violates the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act.

"No assistance shall be furnished under this chapter or 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.

"Giving this reality, we urge you to make it clear to the Netanyahu government that failure to immediately and dramatically expand humanitarian access and facilitate safe aid deliveries throughout Gaza will lead to serious consequences, as specified under existing U.S. law," they wrote.

The senators noted that the severe humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip is "nearly unpresented" in modern history.

Israel has waged a retaliatory offensive against Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7. The offensive has killed nearly 31,200 Palestinians and injured more than 72,900 amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.