WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) to introduce a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to bring an end to the blockade of food and life-saving humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza. In their resolution, the senators express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the imminent starvation of tens of thousands of children.
On March 2, 2025, the Israeli Government began blocking all food and emergency aid —including food, medicine, infant formula, fuel, and other lifesaving humanitarian supplies — from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. In the same month, all 25 World Food Program (WFP)-supported bakeries in Gaza closed, wheat flour and cooking fuel ran out, and food parcels distributed to families — with two weeks of food rations — were depleted. According to the United Nations, about 10,000 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition since January 2025.
“We must deliver critically needed food and medicine to innocent civilians in Gaza facing extreme hunger, death, disease and widespread destruction. While Israel has the right to defend itself, it must follow U.S. and international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, Israel has been and continues to act in direct violation of the requirements mandated under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act,” said Heinrich.
“As we continue to pursue pathways to achieve a two-state solution, which remains crucial both for Palestinians’ sovereignty and self-determination and for Israel’s security in the region, we must work toward a long-term, post-war plan that can achieve lasting peace in the region,” Heinrich continued.
The resolution is led by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.). Alongside Heinrich, the resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The senators’ resolution is supported by Anera, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, J Street, and Oxfam America.
The full text of the resolution is here.
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