Israel said on Thursday there would be no humanitarian exceptions to its siege of the Gaza Strip until all its hostages were freed. The government cut off water and electricity and halted international food deliveries to the densely populated territory, which Hamas primarily controls. The Red Cross pleaded for fuel to be allowed in to prevent overwhelmed hospitals from “turning into morgues.” But Israel said it was preparing for the next phase of the war and would not lift its total blockade until Hamas released the Israelis it held hostage.
The government had vowed to eradicate the Hamas movement that rules the Gaza Strip in retribution for the deadliest attack on Jewish civilians since the Holocaust when hundreds of gunmen poured across the barrier fence and rampaged through Israeli towns. It has carried out hundreds of air strikes on the enclave and is preparing for a ground assault.
But the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is causing growing concern in the United States, where many Democrats emerged from closed-door meetings with administration officials to express concern for Palestinian civilians and those being held hostage. “There are innocent Palestinian civilians in both Gaza and the West Bank who want to live normal and free lives,” House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking Democrat Gregory Meeks of New York said at a morning news conference. “They have nothing to do with Hamas, which is cowardly and ruthless.”
Meeks’s colleague, Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, echoed that sentiment. She cited that two residents of her district are among those held by Hamas. She also expressed worry that a complete block on food, water, and energy supplies to Gaza could harm the health of its inhabitants.
The parents of 27-year-old Aryeh Ziering, an American-Israeli whose body was found in the rubble of a Gaza home, told CBS News that he wanted to be a doctor and volunteered at a hospital in the city, which Israel has bombed repeatedly. “He loved his family; he was an avid sports fan,” Debbie and Mark Ziering said. “He was the kind of guy always there for you.”
Aryeh’s family is in touch with a kibbutz hosting some of the families of the missing hostages but has not received any word from Israeli authorities. The parents said they are trying to remain optimistic and believe their son would have wanted them to keep their faith in a brighter future for his people.
Meanwhile, Israel’s defense minister defended his decision to block the flow of goods into Gaza. “Depriving the population of an occupied territory of essential foodstuffs and medicines is a clear violation of international law, a war crime,” said Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch, which has accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity. “Defense Minister Gallant’s statements are abhorrent, and the International Criminal Court should take note.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on Wednesday, reaffirming Washington’s support for its ally as it defends itself against Hamas’ terrorist attacks and expressing support for efforts to secure the release of the Israelis being held hostage.
