Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) described the Israeli inspection protocols in Gaza as severely restrictive and that Tel Aviv should face consequences for preventing aid from the besieged enclave. Israel has restricted aid deliveries into Gaza to just a fraction of pre-war levels. Nearly all residents of Gaza are internally displaced. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are suffering from starvation and diseases.
On CBS News’ ‘Face the Nation,’ Van Hollen explained that Israel’s inspection processes for aid entering Gaza are choking aid deliveries into the Strip. “And when one item on a truck is rejected, the entire truck is rejected,” The Maryland Senator said. “And according to all the international [nongovernmental organizations] that we talked about who have been operating in conflict zones around the world, they’ve never seen a worse process for assuring the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
When asked if Israel should face consequences for restricting aid, the Senator replied, “Yes, I do think there … have to be consequences.” “And you know, [Secretary of State Antony Blinken] and President Biden had been right to insist on two things: a reduction in the unacceptable levels of civilian casualties, and much more cooperation when it comes to providing humanitarian assistance.” He continued, “We’ve not seen that.”
After the Hamas attack on October 7 that killed 695 Israeli civilians, Tel Aviv ordered a complete siege of Gaza, including blocking food, water, and fuel from entering the Strip. The Israeli government has relented to international pressure and allowed small amounts of aid into Gaza.
However, aid organizations say the aid is insufficient to meet the needs of the Gazan population. At least 85% of Palestinians in the Strip have been displaced by Israeli military operations. 23,000 Gazans have been killed, with the number of dead children approaching 10,000.
The displacement of around two million people and the lack of aid has led to the spread of disease and starvation. International agencies estimate that over 500,000 Palestinians are in a state of starvation, with another 250,000 suffering from diarrhea or respiratory infections.
