US Senators ask Biden to send ship to Gaza, open Sea route for aid

29 Feb at 6:14 pm

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The chairman of the Senate’s armed services committee has asked President Joe Biden to deploy a military hospital ship and support units to treat Gaza’s wounded and help establish a sea route for delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Chairman Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, made the request in a letter to the White House Wednesday night. Sen. Angus King, a political independent from Maine and another senior member of the armed services committee, joined in the request.

Quick Read

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed and Senator Angus King have requested President Biden to deploy a U.S. Navy hospital ship to Gaza.
They aim to provide medical treatment for the wounded and establish a sea route for delivering humanitarian aid.
The senators highlight the ongoing suffering in Gaza due to inadequate medical care and lack of food and other essentials.
Reed and King emphasize the U.S. military’s capability to manage the risks associated with the deployment.
The initiative is intended to demonstrate America’s commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region.

The Associated Press has the story:

US Senators ask Biden to send ship to Gaza, open Sea route for aid

Newslooks- WASHINGTON —

Senator Jack Reed, The Chairman of the Senate’s armed services committee.

Chairman Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, made the request in a letter to the White House Wednesday night. Sen. Angus King, a political independent from Maine and another senior member of the armed services committee, joined in the request.

Despite U.S. appeals to Israel, Gaza residents trapped in the conflict between Israel and Hamas continue to suffer without adequate medical care, food and other aid, the senators said.

FILE – In this May 6, 2020 file photo, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, asks questions during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Department of Defense Spectrum Policy and the Impact of the Federal Communications Commission’s Ligado Decision on National Security during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on Capitol Hill in Washington. A Senate bill that seeks to speed up philanthropic donations to charities appears to be gaining bipartisan support in Congress, taking aim at a popular charitable vehicle called donor-advised funds. DAFs allow donors to enjoy immediate tax deductions while investing their contributions tax-free. The bill, introduced by Sens. King and Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, would make numerous reforms to DAFs by creating new categories of accounts, among other changes. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)

“Consequently, we urge you to take additional steps to deliver humanitarian aid by deploying a U.S. Navy hospital ship and support elements to the region and by working with the Israeli and Egyptian governments to establish maritime logistics routes and ensure civilian access to aid,” the senators wrote.

The two acknowledged the risks but said the U.S. military was best-equipped to handle them. The deployments “would bring immense capacity to bear off the coast of the Gaza strip.” they wrote the White House. “It would be a visible embodiment of America’s commitment to the humanitarian challenges of the region.”