HARTFORD, Conn. — Thursday, Sen. Chris Murphy sent a letter to President Joe Biden, calling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “dire,” saying “the civilian suffering is at an unacceptable and staggering level.”
This letter lays out five specific steps Murphy and more than 20 other senators want the Biden administration to take to significantly increase humanitarian aid in Gaza.
“Ninety-three percent of Palestinians in Gaza are facing crisis levels of hunger,” the senators wrote. “Eighty-five percent of the population is displaced. Seventy percent of those killed are women and children.”
Just hours after sending the letter, a Friday morning press conference with Murphy and Sen. Richard Blumenthal about lowering prescription drug costs was shut down by a group of pro-Palestine demonstrators.
The small group of demonstrators said they wanted more than just statements, asking the senators to take action and push for a ceasefire now.
Murphy eventually walked out after protestors again shouted over him and Blumenthal.
“It's an act of genocide,” said one of the demonstrators, Eamon Ormseth. “That's why we're here disrupting this press conference, genocide violates every single norm of human relations.”
The CT Palestine Solidarity Coalition wants Murphy and Blumenthal to push for a ceasefire, saying sanctions on aid to Israel are necessary, but don’t go far enough.
“Stop sending the weapons now, no ifs, ands or buts,” Ormseth said. “Sen. Murphy and Sen. Blumenthal respectfully have done nothing. They are some of the most powerful people in the country and statements are not enough. We need action. We need them to introduce legislation. We need them to speak out.”
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Blumenthal says in visiting Israel and speaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Biden administration, he’s urged for more humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
“The aid going to Israel includes humanitarian aid, so it's more than a condition,” he explained. “It's actually a part of the aid that we should provide medicine, food, water, necessities, should go to Gaza as part of our humanitarian assistance.”
Blumenthal also praised the Biden administration’s new sanctions on settlers who commit violence in the West Bank. Murphy continued to encourage sanctions on U.S. aid to Israel.
“I think there will be a conversation to make sure that that aid is used in accordance with human rights law and international conflict law,” said Murphy. “I think that's an important conversation to have if we're sending billions of dollars to our allies in the Middle East.”
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