Pressure is mounting on Biden regarding the ongoing war in Gaza
Dozens of members of Congress from the Democratic Party to which US President Joe Biden belongs signed a letter on Friday urging the administration to affirm the United States’ strong opposition to the “forced and permanent displacement” of Palestinians from Gaza.
The letter is addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The signing of the letter was led by Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Jamie Raskin, and 60 Democratic members of the House of Representatives signed it, revealing a feeling of concern, on the left in particular, about the massive losses among Palestinian civilians due to the Israeli campaign against Hamas.
“We urge you to continue to affirm the United States’ firm commitment to this position and ask that you provide clarification on certain provisions in the Administration’s Humanitarian and Security Supplemental Funding Request,” the letter said.
The State Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The United States gives Israel $3.8 billion in annual military aid.
Biden asked Congress to approve an additional $14 billion, part of a sweeping additional funding request that has been stalled in Congress as Republicans and Democrats negotiate changes to immigration policy.
On the other hand, a group of Democratic senators said on Friday that 18 Democratic senators support an amendment that requires any country receiving additional funding to use the funds in accordance with US law, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflict.
Israel launched the war to eliminate the Iranian-backed Hamas movement after the movement’s militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages, according to Israeli statistics.
Health authorities in Gaza said that the war, which has now entered its fourth month, has resulted in the death of more than 24,760 people in the Palestinian Strip.
