[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 554 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 554

   Calling for the urgent delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to 
                address the needs of civilians in Gaza.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 9, 2024

  Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
 Merkley, Ms. Smith, Mr. Booker, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Warnock, 
 Ms. Warren, Mr. Warner, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Klobuchar, and 
Mr. King) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Calling for the urgent delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to 
                address the needs of civilians in Gaza.

Whereas the population of the Gaza Strip, an estimated 2,200,000 people, are 
        classified as in crisis or worse with respect to levels of acute food 
        insecurity as reported by the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition 
        Phase Classification;
Whereas, according to the World Food Program, an estimated 1,700,000 people are 
        facing potential imminent starvation in Gaza;
Whereas women habitually eat last and least in times of heightened food 
        insecurity;
Whereas the World Health Organization reports that a lack of adequate medical 
        supplies, food, water, and fuel have severely compromised an already 
        under-resourced health system in Gaza;
Whereas, according to the World Health Organization, there are only 16 partially 
        functioning hospitals in Gaza;
Whereas the World Health Organization has recorded an increased risk of 
        preventable diseases, diarrhea, and acute respiratory infections in 
        Gaza;
Whereas the water and sanitation systems in Gaza have been severely damaged or 
        destroyed, and the United Nations has reported that more than 96 percent 
        of the available water supply in Gaza is unfit for human consumption;
Whereas there has been extensive damage to other critical infrastructure in 
        Gaza, impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid;
Whereas improvements to the deconfliction process are needed in Gaza to allow 
        humanitarian organizations to safely carry out their missions delivering 
        aid to individuals most in need;
Whereas the United States has helped lead the humanitarian response in Gaza and 
        is the largest single-state funder of humanitarian aid to the 
        Palestinian people;
Whereas, prior to the conflict that began in 2023, an average of 500 trucks 
        carrying fuel, commodities, and private sector goods entered Gaza every 
        working day;
Whereas the number of aid trucks entering Gaza has fallen to an average 
        drastically below 500 per day;
Whereas the opening of Kerem Shalom crossing was a welcome step in facilitating 
        an increase in aid delivery into Gaza;
Whereas the process of inspections of aid trucks seeking entry to Gaza remains 
        inefficient, creating substantial delays in the delivery of aid; and
Whereas United States officials have worked to increase access for aid trucks 
        and to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but far more needs to 
        be done: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate urgently calls on the administration of 
President Joseph R. Biden, in coordination with United States allies 
and partners within the international community, to help facilitate a 
dramatic increase in humanitarian aid to prevent starvation and disease 
in Gaza by--
            (1) streamlining the inspection of trucks entering Gaza;
            (2) increasing the access points for aid deliveries into 
        Gaza;
            (3) ensuring the distribution of adequate fuel to hospitals 
        and humanitarian organizations in Gaza;
            (4) ensuring the ability of humanitarian organizations to 
        deliver aid safely and urgently in Gaza;
            (5) expanding the number of safe shelters and food 
        distribution locations for displaced people in Gaza;
            (6) supporting efforts to restore water supply lines; and
            (7) working to secure the additional funding necessary to 
        support the humanitarian response.
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