Aug 28, 02:35 PM

More Than 100 US Lawmakers Urge Rubio to Press Israel on Gaza Aid

More than 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to demand that Israel immediately allow a large-scale delivery of baby formula and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza. In a letter led by Representatives Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, the lawmakers contend that Israeli restrictions on the territory have created an “entirely man-made famine” that is killing infants and depriving mothers of the nutrition needed to breast-feed. The lawmakers cite reports that at least 85 children have died of hunger-related causes and that more than 20,000 children have been treated for malnutrition in Gaza since April. They argue that ready-to-feed formula is urgently required because the scarcity of clean water makes powdered alternatives unsafe. The appeal also calls for the rapid entry of medical equipment to treat infant and child malnourishment. Israel denies responsibility for the shortages, but United Nations agencies and aid groups say the volume of food and medical supplies entering Gaza remains far below what is needed. The congressional letter adds to mounting international pressure on the Biden administration’s successor to use U.S. leverage to ease the blockade and avert what lawmakers describe as a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.