U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and three other senators led a majority of Senate Democratic Caucus members in calling on President Joe Biden to provide information on the United States’ support of an Israeli strategy to defeat Hamas and possible measures to protect civilians in Gaza.

What You Need To Know

  • In letter to Biden, the senators condemned Hamas terror attacks on Israel, which began on Oct. 7, and expressed support for immediate funding to replenish Israel’s defense systems

  • The effort was led by Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn. and Jack Reed, D-R.D.

  • The senators asked what specific mechanisms the administration is putting in place to ensure that Israeli military operations conducted inside Gaza are carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law and to ensure that any U.S.-provided equipment is used in a manner consistent with U.S. law

  • They requested an assessment of whether Israel’s military rules of engagement, particularly regarding mitigation of civilian casualties, align with U.S. policy and practices

 

In letter to Biden, the senators condemned Hamas terror attacks on Israel, which began on Oct. 7, and expressed support for immediate funding to replenish Israel’s defense systems.

The effort was led by Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn. and Jack Reed, D-R.D.

The senators echoed Biden’s position that Israel has the right to defend itself and hold Hamas accountable for initiating the war. They also complimented the president on securing the release of two Americans taken hostage in the attacks and his administration’s continued efforts to free remaining hostages.

“The attacks of October 7th brought back chilling memories of the United States’ own confrontation with terror twenty-two years ago,” they wrote. “In light of our own experience, we want to underscore how critical it is that Israel: (1) learn from the mistakes the United States made in our fight against terrorism by focusing on realistic and achievable military goals; and (2) abide by the laws of war, including the protection of civilians. Doing so also offers Israel the very best chance of success against Hamas in the days and weeks ahead. These steps are also necessary to create the conditions for a lasting peace, including two states for two peoples.”

The senators also called on Biden to provide Israel funding to replenish its Iron Dome and other air defense systems.

“But to better understand the efficacy of U.S. funding that supports Israel’s operations inside Gaza, we respectfully ask your team to provide us with information relative to these two clear U.S. priorities: supporting an Israeli strategy that will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas and taking all possible measures to protect civilians in Gaza,” they wrote.

The letter included wide-ranging queries, including an assessment of the viability of Israel’s military strategy in Gaza and whether it prioritizes the release of hostages; whether there is an achievable plan for governing Gaza when the Israeli military operation ends; and if Israel supports the conditions necessary to ultimately achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The senators further asked what specific mechanisms the administration is putting in place to ensure that Israeli military operations conducted inside Gaza are carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law and to ensure that any U.S.-provided equipment is used in a manner consistent with U.S. law.

They requested an assessment of whether Israel’s military rules of engagement, particularly regarding mitigation of civilian casualties, align with U.S. policy and practice. They also asked Biden to seek immediate public assurances from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that his coalition government will immediately stop the escalating extremist settler violence directed against unprotected Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as assurances from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that his government take steps to quell any violence against Israelis.

Toward the end of the letter, the senators asked how U.S. assistance will advance efforts to engage with Israel, Egypt and the broader international community to address deteriorating conditions in Gaza.

“We must not only do our part to provide urgently needed humanitarian relief to Gaza, but also insist that Israel take all necessary measures to help us facilitate such relief to the two million civilians living there, half of them children,” they wrote. “That includes fully restoring water, electricity, and communication services, expediting fuel deliveries through already well-established systems for avoiding diversion to Hamas, and opening the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel to increase urgently needed humanitarian relief to Gaza. Aid workers and civilian sites like schools, hospitals, and UN facilities must be protected.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.