U.S. Senator Peter Welch, joined by 29 fellow Senators, introduced a Senate resolution demanding that the U.S. administration utilize all available diplomatic means to end the brutal and inhumane Israeli blockade that continues to strangle Gaza and its civilian population.

The resolution comes amid mounting evidence of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Palestinian enclave, where children are reportedly starving and hospitals have collapsed under the strain of deliberate deprivation.

Speaking passionately from the Senate floor, Senator Welch condemned the Israeli-imposed blockade as a "government-intentional policy of starvation," decrying the United States’ continued complicity in a campaign that has turned Gaza into a humanitarian graveyard. “It’s been over two months since the Israeli government has used its power to withhold food, medicine, cancer treatments, dialysis machines, baby formula, and more from Gaza’s starving and suffering families,” Welch said.

“We must end this siege and this war now,” he continued, warning that the world is witnessing — in real time — a man-made famine unfold as Israeli authorities weaponize basic necessities to collectively punish over two million Palestinians, most of them displaced, wounded, and traumatized.

The resolution, which is supported by humanitarian organizations including Anera, Oxfam America, J Street, and the Friends Committee on National Legislation, highlights the urgency of the unfolding genocide, pointing to tens of thousands of children facing imminent starvation under the ongoing Israeli blockade.

Sean Carroll, President of Anera, described the resolution as a "call to conscience," adding: “Hospitals are collapsing. Families are in a state of desperation. Will the world be complicit in Gaza’s collapse, or part of its recovery?”

Hassan El-Tayyab of the Friends Committee on National Legislation emphasized the lethal consequences of the Israeli-imposed siege: “More than two million Palestinians are trapped, starving, and facing a potential famine that could claim thousands of lives.” He stressed the need for the Trump administration and Congress to forcefully intervene and reopen Gaza’s borders to humanitarian aid.

Echoing these concerns, Jeremy Ben-Ami, President of J Street, labeled the use of starvation as a military tactic "immoral and unconscionable." “Children are surviving on one meal every few days. Humanitarian aid must immediately be allowed to enter Gaza unconditionally,” he said.

Abby Maxman, President of Oxfam America, described a bleak picture from the ground: “Parents spend their days searching for something to feed their children — often returning with nothing. Humanitarian organizations know how to deliver lifesaving aid, but we are being blocked. This is a race against time.”

The resolution, which places direct blame on the Israeli regime for obstructing aid and inflicting mass civilian suffering, also exposes the failure of the U.S. government to uphold its own human rights commitments. It comes as international pressure mounts following the International Criminal Court’s efforts to pursue Israeli leaders for war crimes, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare — a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

Senator Welch's push for accountability reflects a deepening divide within American politics, where growing numbers of lawmakers are breaking with unconditional support for Israel amid an unfolding genocide in Gaza. With over 173,000 Palestinians killed, injured, or missing since October 7 and over 11,000 unaccounted for, mostly women and children, the resolution marks a rare moment of moral clarity in the halls of American power.

As Senator Welch concluded on the Senate floor, “This resolution makes a simple point: children are starving to death — and we cannot look away.” (ILKHA)