US lawmakers bring resolution calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Washington: A group of Progressive legislators in the US introduced a congressional resolution on Monday urging “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine”.

The two-page resolution, brought by 13 Democratic members of Congress, urged the Biden administration to “immediately call for and facilitate de-escalation and a ceasefire to urgently end the current violence” as well as to “promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza”, reports The Guardian.

The resolution was backed by prominent Democratic members of the House of Representatives, including Cori Bush, Rashida Tlaib, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, and highlighted growing calls in Washington for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“All human life is precious, and the targeting of civilians, no matter their faith or ethnicity, is a violation of international humanitarian law,” the proposed resolution reads.

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Despite overwhelming support for Israel in Congress, Bush told reporters during an online briefing that the resolution represents a pressing cause for all Americans to unite behind.

“Leaders lead from the front, and we move with the call of the people,” Bush said. “Our constituents around the country are going to begin calling our colleagues to join us.” The only way to move legislation is to first of all introduce them,” Bush added.

The conflict erupted on October 7 when the Palestinian group Hamas launched an unprecedented and highly coordinated attack against Israel from the besieged Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of people and taking dozens captive.

Israel retaliated with a relentless bombing campaign that has killed more than 2,800 Palestinians, including hundreds of children in Gaza.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also documented dozens of attacks on medical facilities in Gaza, which have killed at least 12 health workers.

Israel has also announced a total blockade on Gaza, preventing fuel and other basic supplies from entering the territory. It has also ordered more than one million people, including hospital patients, to leave northern Gaza, a demand the United Nations has characterised as “impossible” and “dangerous”.

Progressive legislators and advocates on Monday said that the US has the power to push for an end to the conflict.

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With a land invasion of Gaza imminent, Bush said that “hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives hang in the balance”.

“And it’s not only happening right before our eyes. It’s happening with the support and the power of the United States government, and it is shameful,” she said, reports The Guardian.

Despite the escalating crisis, the Biden administration has avoided calling for calm in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel on Monday, extending the White House’s unwavering support for Israel.

The US president in an interview with CBS on Sunday, called for eliminating Hamas. When asked whether it was time to call for a ceasefire, Biden said that Israel has to “go after” the Palestinian group.

The resolution signifies a small but significant departure from the near-unanimous support for Israel’s war effort in Washington.

The US provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military assistance annually, despite human rights groups like Amnesty International accusing the country of imposing apartheid on Palestinians, reports The Guardian.

The resolution was hence important because of the role the US plays in the conflict, Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute think tank said.

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