[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 935 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 935

 Calling for the safe, timely, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian 
                  aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 14, 2023

     Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Mrs. Torres of 
    California, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Levin, Mr. Correa, Ms. 
    Salinas, Ms. Tokuda, and Mr. Swalwell) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Calling for the safe, timely, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian 
                  aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked and killed more than 
        1,200 Israeli civilians and took nearly 240 innocent people hostage, and 
        started a conflict that displaced over 2,000,000 Israeli and Palestinian 
        civilians;
Whereas the fighting in response to Hamas' October 7th attack and Hamas' 
        intentional use of civilian infrastructure and tactics to blend into the 
        civilian population has led to the deaths of thousands of innocent 
        Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip;
Whereas Israel has the right to defend its citizens and degrade Hamas' military 
        capability in accordance with international law;
Whereas Hamas must be removed from political and operational control of Gaza;
Whereas a funding package in line with President Biden's October 20, 2023, 
        supplemental funding proposal is necessary to alleviate the dire 
        humanitarian crisis in Gaza;
Whereas the aid allowed into Gaza through the Rafah crossing since October 7, 
        2023, has been insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe in 
        the region;
Whereas Gaza's water and sanitation systems have been severely affected by the 
        war and there is a need to rebuild its infrastructure;
Whereas there has been extensive damage to critical infrastructure, making it 
        more difficult to deliver aid;
Whereas the World Health Organization reports that airstrikes and a lack of 
        medical supplies, food, water, and fuel have depleted an already under-
        resourced health system;
Whereas the World Health Organization has recorded more than 94,858 cases of 
        diarrhea and 129,230 acute respiratory infections, but actual case 
        numbers may be significantly higher;
Whereas the United Nations has reported that more than 96 percent of the water 
        supply in Gaza is unfit for human consumption;
Whereas the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
        (OCHA) reported that it would cost an estimated $1,200,000,000 to meet 
        the needs of 2,700,000 people in Gaza and the West Bank until the end of 
        2023;
Whereas the United States has helped lead the humanitarian response in Gaza and 
        is the largest single-State funder of humanitarian assistance to the 
        Palestinian people;
Whereas, on November 24, 2023, the United States helped negotiate an extended 
        humanitarian pause that ultimately led Hamas to release or facilitate 
        the release of over 100 hostages, allowed increased levels of 
        humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and 
        provided relief from hostilities;
Whereas there was an increase in aid reaching Gaza during the negotiated 
        humanitarian pause from November 24, 2023, to November 30, 2023, with 
        nearly 200 aid trucks crossing into Gaza per day; and
Whereas the extended humanitarian pause ended on December 1, 2023: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the Biden administration to help facilitate--
                    (A) the scale up of safe and continuous flow of aid 
                convoys to reach civilians with life-saving assistance 
                in Gaza;
                    (B) the opening of additional crossings for aid 
                trucks to enter Gaza;
                    (C) the distribution of fuel to humanitarian 
                organizations working in Gaza;
                    (D) the ability for humanitarian organizations to 
                deliver aid in Gaza without impediment or interference;
                    (E) proper oversight to ensure aid is appropriately 
                delivered;
                    (F) the expansion of the number of safe shelters 
                for displaced people in schools and other public 
                facilities across Gaza;
                    (G) the improvement of a humanitarian notification 
                mechanism;
                    (H) the establishment of relief distribution hubs; 
                and
                    (I) the renewal of a humanitarian pause to 
                facilitate a surge in humanitarian aid and the release 
                of additional hostages;
            (2) demands Hamas to release all remaining hostages;
            (3) condemns any diversion of humanitarian assistance by 
        Hamas;
            (4) recognizes the importance of President Biden's October 
        20, 2023, supplemental funding request to Congress to address 
        the humanitarian crisis in Gaza;
            (5) calls on the Secretary of State to work with all 
        regional partners to increase support for funding the 
        humanitarian response;
            (6) calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross 
        (ICRC) to check on the wellbeing of hostages in Gaza; and
            (7) encourages Israel to make every effort to minimize 
        civilian deaths and destruction to infrastructure.
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