[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 13, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AT GAZA

  (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. KUCINICH. Most Americans are unaware that 50 percent of the 
population of Gaza is under 14 years of age. According to the U.N., 292 
Gazan children have been killed in the war, and 1,497 children have 
been injured.
  In the past few days, many Gazan children's hospitals and clinics 
have been attacked, damaged by artillery fire from the Israeli defense 
forces. Fifty thousand children are expected to be displaced from their 
homes. According to the U.N., food for infants and malnourished 
children is not available, one-third of Gaza has no water, and most of 
Gaza has no electricity.
  This is a humanitarian crisis of the highest magnitude. We cannot 
avert our eyes without staining our souls. It is time for Congress to 
recognize the humanitarian crisis at Gaza. Hamas' rocket fire is wrong. 
Israel's response has created a humanitarian disaster.
  Israel is using U.S.-provided F-16 jets, Apache helicopters and white 
phosphorous against the people of Gaza. This imposes upon this Congress 
a moral obligation to speak out. We cannot be effective in promoting 
peace unless we recognize the scale of the suffering of the children of 
Gaza and take nonviolent steps to remedy the situation.

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