WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D‑NV) joined Senators Schiff, Schatz, and Schumer in leading a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff raising alarm over the worsening humanitarian crisis and starvation in Gaza. The letter urges a large‑scale expansion of humanitarian aid, calls for immediately bringing all the hostages home, endorses a return to the negotiating table to end the war, and supports a permanent end to Hamas rule in Gaza.
“The acute humanitarian crisis in Gaza is also unsustainable and worsens by the day. Hunger and malnutrition are widespread, and, alarmingly, deaths due to starvation, especially among children, are increasing,” wrote the Senators. “The ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ has failed to address the deepening humanitarian crisis and contributed to an unacceptable and mounting civilian death toll around the organization’s sites. To prevent the situation from getting even worse, we urge you to advocate for a large-scale expansion of humanitarian assistance and services throughout the Gaza Strip, including through the use of experienced multilateral bodies and NGOs that can get life-saving aid directly to those in need and prevent diversion.”
“The Israeli hostages, held in Gaza by Hamas since their brutal attack on Israel on October 7th, have suffered far too long, as have their families. It is imperative that those still living be brought home as soon as possible, before more perish as the war drags on. And it is essential that the remains of those presumed killed – including Americans Omer Neutra and Itay Chen – be reunited with their loved ones. After many months of despair, it is long past time to bring all of the hostages home,” wrote the Senators.
The full text of the letter is available HERE.
Senator Rosen has been leading the push for Hamas to release the remaining hostages and has been calling for increased humanitarian aid for innocent civilians in Gaza. As Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on the Near East, Senator Rosen led a hearing focused on the Middle East, where she raised the importance of humanitarian access and a negotiated ceasefire that brings the hostages home. Earlier this year, she traveled to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, and Iraq, discussing the war in Gaza and humanitarian aid in several of her diplomatic engagements. Senator Rosen also led a bipartisan, bicameral resolution demanding the safe release of hostages still held by Hamas. In January, she applauded the agreement between Israel and Hamas to pause fighting and secure hostage releases.
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