Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Wednesday criticized Israeli forces for cutting off electricity, food, fuel and water to Gaza’s more than 2 million residents, calling it a “grave violation of international law” that will cause hundreds of thousands of children to suffer.
“Targeting civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it. Israel’s blanket denial of food, water and other necessities to Gaza is a serious violation of international law and will only harm innocent civilians,” Sanders, a leading progressive voice in Congress and former presidential candidate, said in a statement.
Sanders praised the United States for “rightly” offering to help Israel respond to attacks by Hamas militants that have killed more than 1,000 people in Israel, but he insisted that Israeli forces should not retaliate against civilians in Gaza.
“We must also insist on restraint from Israeli forces attacking Gaza and work to secure UN humanitarian access. Let us not forget that half of the two million people in Gaza are children. Children and innocent people do not deserve to be punished for the actions of Hamas,” he said.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “total siege” of Gaza on Monday, saying such harsh tactics were justified against “human animals”.
“We are fighting against human animals and we are acting accordingly,” he said. “There will be no electricity, no food, no water. No fuel.”
Militants from Hamas, the political group that controls Gaza and is recognised as a terrorist group by the United States, attacked Israel on Saturday. Videos of the killing of civilians have been widely circulated, and Hamas has taken hostages following the incursion.
Israeli forces have been pounding Gaza with air strikes on buildings and critical infrastructure since the weekend.
Palestinian health officials warn that hospitals will run out of fuel by Thursday, and the group Medecins Sans Frontieres says hospitals are already ‘overwhelmed’ by the huge influx of wounded civilians. More than 1,000 people have been killed in Gaza.
Sanders condemned as “appalling” Hamas’s brutal surprise attacks on Israeli civilians who were murdered at a music festival, driving down the street, waiting at a bus stop or enjoying a typical Saturday morning at home.
“The gunning down of young Israelis at a music festival is an image the world will not soon forget,” he said.
But he warned that the weekend’s attacks would “embolden extremists on both sides” and “perpetuate the cycle of violence”. He urged the United States and its allies to pressure Israel to minimise civilian casualties in any military incursion into Gaza.
“Right now, the international community must focus on reducing humanitarian suffering and protecting innocent people on both sides of the conflict,” he said.
He called the Hamas attack “a major setback for any hope of peace and reconciliation in the region – and justice for the Palestinian people”.
And he said the attacks would only make it harder to improve conditions for Gazans.
“It is no secret to many that Gaza is an open-air prison, with millions of people struggling to secure basic necessities,” he said. “Hamas’ terrorism will make it harder to address this tragic reality.”