DayofPal– A chorus of condemnation is rising from progressive voices in the U.S. Congress as Israel unveils sweeping plans to escalate its military campaign in Gaza, a move critics say amounts to a full-scale occupation and furtherance of ongoing genocide.
Prominent progressive lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), issued forceful rebukes following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that his government intends to seize full control of the Gaza Strip and overhaul humanitarian aid distribution.
“Netanyahu’s extremist government now says it will occupy Gaza and put mercenaries in charge of distributing aid, instead of the UN and other aid groups. Despicable,” said Sanders. “No more U.S. support for Netanyahu’s war machine.”
Rep. Omar echoed that urgency, saying, “Now Netanyahu’s government wants to occupy Gaza and shut down the existing aid distribution system run by the UN and its humanitarian partners. Arms embargo now,” she posted on social media.
Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, delivered a blistering denunciation: “War Criminal Netanyahu has announced a plan to forcibly expel and ethnically cleanse the entire Palestinian population, flatten, and annex Gaza…The U.S. is an accomplice in this genocide.”
The Israeli cabinet on Sunday greenlit a plan for a broad ground invasion of Gaza, signaling a shift toward full military occupation.
Reports suggest the expansion will not begin until after U.S. President Donald Trump completes a high-profile trip to the Middle East from May 13 to 16, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
The military strategy reportedly includes deploying tens of thousands of Israeli reservists, establishing dominance over humanitarian corridors, and relegating aid distribution to U.S. security contractors rather than international humanitarian organizations.
The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), a coalition of UN agencies and aid partners, warned that the Israeli proposal undermines basic humanitarian principles and could weaponize aid distribution as a tool of military control.
“This plan appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic,” the HCT said in a Sunday statement, rejecting the Israeli conditions for re-opening crossings into Gaza.
In a video address to the Israeli public, Netanyahu confirmed that the new offensive would involve permanent military presence within Gaza, with no intention of retreat.
“The population will be moved, for its own protection,” he said, in reference to the 2.3 million Palestinians currently trapped in the besieged enclave.
An Israeli official further confirmed to AFP that Netanyahu continues to support a strategy aligned with President Trump’s plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza, a policy widely condemned by international human rights groups.
The recent developments follow Israel’s unilateral breakdown of a ceasefire agreement in March, when it refused to proceed to the next phase of negotiations, which would have led to the release of remaining hostages.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, pressure is mounting in Washington for a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy, starting with an immediate halt to arms sales to
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=62713
