U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has joined Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in introducing a resolution urging the Trump Administration to employ all diplomatic means to end the blockade of food and humanitarian aid to Gaza. The resolution expresses significant concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the risk of widespread starvation among children.
The resolution highlights that since March 2, the Israeli Government has blocked food and emergency aid from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This blockade includes essential supplies such as medicine, infant formula and fuel. The impact has been severe, with the closure of all 25 World Food Program-supported bakeries in Gaza, depletion of wheat flour and cooking fuel, and the running out of food parcels meant to last families two weeks. The United Nations reports that approximately 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,” Heinrich said. “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.”
Heinrich also said a long-term, post-war plan is vital for lasting peace in the region.
“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 said.
The resolution is co-sponsored by several other senators, including Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).
Yea for Heinrich!
Look at the statistics: The majority of Palestinian Arabs are not “innocent” but complicit, either actively or passively. And it would end today if the leaders they elected would release the few hostages that are still alive and the many bodies of those they tortured then murdered, and then simply stop fighting and leave.
Maybe those things you mentioned should also apply to the US. 20 years in Afghanistan. Then there is Iraq, which was on the State Dept hit list long before 9/11. And Iraq had nothing to do with it. Do unto others….The number of years the war lasted. 209,982 – The number of Iraqi civilians killed between 2003 and 2022, according to figures from Iraq Body Count (IBC).* In 2006 alone, 29,526 civilians… after 20 years.
I wrote a reply. Where is it?
It would be good if the US would do some of those things you mention. Abu Ghraib for example. 20 years in Afghanistan then turn it over to the Taliban. 20 years in Iraq that had nothing to do with 9/11 and was on the State Dept hit list long before that event.
I wonder if this will be posted. Probably not. censorship.
Statistics of what?? The people of Gaza may have elected Hamas once, decades ago, but they are now controlled by Hamas via coercion and terror. They are victims of Hamas as much as the people of Israel. They had no say in the Hamas attacks and hostage-taking. Israel’s systematic destruction of Gaza under the pretext of freeing its hostages or eliminating Hamas is illegal, morally indefensible, and strategically bankrupt. And it takes two to stop fighting.
On a moral level humanitarian aid certainly needs to get into Gaza. It is noteworthy that there is not one word in the article that Senator Heinrich is also calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages Hamas and many Palestinians kidnapped on 10/7 and took into captivity who are and have been facing extreme hunger and starvation, torture, and death since 10/7/2023 – It is 593 days after they were stolen (most from the NOVA music festival or their homes within the sovereign territory of Israel) and if Senator Heinrich has not called for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages that is unconscionable. And I was a financial supporter of Heinrich.
It took me about 30 seconds on Google to find out that, of course, Senator Heinrich has called for the release of Israel’s hostages. Shame on Mr Farber for not doing this for himself and instead kvetching about the Senator’s supposed lack of support for Israel.
I left a comment about Senator Heinrich and the article but it hasn’t appeared – do comments here get pre-screened or censored?
Steven Farber – Attorney (Ret.) and former Santa Fe City Councilor
It’s time to end the genocide in Gaza! The US should not be spending our tax dollars to starve and kill children.
I rarely agree with Heinrich. This time I do. But Israel has had enough rope so to speak.
There is currently NO blockade of food and medical supplies to the Arab people of Gaza.
That ended when Hamas released an Israeli /American hostage. The only reason there was even a blockade IS because Hamas still holds 58 Israelis hostages. Hamas is trying to extort Israel and the U.S.
Do not be fooled. It seems that Senator Heinrich’s aides are not up to date at best OR willfully misleading him.
You decide.
When innocent children are being killed and starved, I believe for the release of humanitarian support and food for the civilians of Gaza we need to set aside our differences and solely from a humanitarian point of view do all we can to provide this aid. At least for this single act, try to set aside our political division.