WASHINGTON — The Middle East hit a grim milestone this past Sunday, marking six months since Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel, triggering a war that shows no signs of winding down.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, returned this week from a visit to Israel that included a trip to the Supernova music festival site, where Hamas killed hundreds of Israelis and took hostages during its invasion Oct. 7.
He also visited Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community that has suffered many casualties.
“It's shocking, the level of brutality that the Hamas savages exercised on innocent Israelis,” Van Orden said.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israeli lobbying group, organized the trip for Van Orden and other Republican lawmakers. They met with hostage families and Israel’s embattled Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Van Orden described Netanyahu as “incredibly impressive.”
“The resolve that he demonstrated, his will to win, which means eradicating Hamas, to defend his people vigorously,” Van Orden said. “Incredibly articulate man, who has a plan to try to make sure that Israel can continue to exist as a nation.”
Netanyahu is facing fierce criticism for his handling of the war in Gaza, criticism that intensified after Israeli drone strikes last week killed seven aid workers with the World Central Kitchen.
In a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, some progressive Democrats, including Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, urged Biden to halt new arms shipments to Israel until a full investigation is done. Pocan said there should to be conditions on funding.
“You can't use our weapons to kill more people in Rafah. You can't use our equipment to raise more buildings in Rafah. Essentially to stop the violence and damage that's happening. It shouldn't happen with the U.S. dollar,” Pocan said of the conditions. “And, we really think, many of us think, a ceasefire is in the best interest of both Israeli and Gaza children.”
The Hamas-run health ministry said more than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, and aid groups said the fighting has created a humanitarian crisis in the territory, especially in northern Gaza, where aid workers warn of famine.
“We need to get assistance to people who need it. We need to protect the aid workers who are delivering it. And we need accountable numbers of how much food and water and medicine is actually getting to the people,” Pocan said. “And that's also part of, I think, what we're trying to get before we would even consider any more transfers of weapons.”
Biden told Netanyahu during a recent call that the future of U.S. aid depends on Israel taking steps to address humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers, emphasizing the need for an immediate ceasefire to protect innocent people.
Van Orden said Democrats are turning their back on Israel, pointing to the letter and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer’s call for elections in Israel once the war dies down to potentially replace Netanyahu. Van Orden said Congress should pass a standalone bill to supply arms for Israel.
Legislation that would provide military aid to both Ukraine and Israel won bipartisan approval in the Senate, but it has stalled in the House, in part because hardline Republicans are opposing new assistance for Ukraine.