All three members of Vermont's congressional delegation this week strongly criticized the Israeli government for not allowing enough humanitarian aid into war-torn Gaza.
For several months, Sen. Bernie Sanders has vowed to withhold his vote for additional aid for Israel as long as "Palestinian civilians in Gaza are the target of indiscriminate bombing."
The conflict has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians since it broke out, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday night, Sanders renewed his pledge to block aid and blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
"People have been reduced to eating leaves and animal feed. They are starving to death. It is happening because Israel is not letting in enough humanitarian aid, and it's actually that simple," Sanders said.
Sen. Peter Welch told his colleagues on Tuesday night that the Israeli government should face financial consequences if it doesn't immediately allow massive humanitarian aid into Gaza.
"We are air dropping food to famine-stricken Gaza today and supplying bombs for Israel to drop on devastated Gaza tomorrow," Welch said. "There's no legal or security justification for restricting humanitarian aid to civilians who are caught in the middle of an armed conflict."
Meanwhile, Rep. Becca Balint recently returned from a Congressional visit to Israel.
She said she was shocked by what she saw and that it's critical for the Biden administration to send a strong message to the Israeli government.
"The Netanyahu government is not doing what it needs to do to ensure that humanitarian aid is getting through. There's incredible suffering happening in Gaza right now, and we want you to take this seriously and if you don't then there will be ramifications," Balint said.
The Israeli government says it is not limiting the delivery of aid to Gaza, and has blamed the United Nations for failing to distribute it to those in need and for diverting aid to Hamas forces in the region.
NPR reports President Biden on Thursday will announce an emergency mission to build a new pier off the coast of Gaza to receive large shipments of food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.
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