US Senator Schatz urged Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the flooded Gaza Strip

Flooding and loss of life

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz spoke at a plenary session of the US Senate on Tuesday, demanding that Israel immediately allow rescue equipment, construction materials, and winter supplies into the Gaza Strip. The reason was flooding caused by heavy rains over the past weekend: according to the senator, water flooded more than 70,000 tents, and four people were killed — three children and a woman.

Fuel blockade and the Board of Peace assessment

Schatz stated that 'almost everyone in this area needs help' and that what is happening is 'a humanitarian emergency unfolding in real time.' According to him, the ongoing fuel blockade by the Israeli government and the destruction of equipment are significantly hindering the delivery of aid; he emphasized that this is 'not a partisan accusation.' The senator also cited criticism from the Board of Peace, associated with President Donald Trump: according to him, the board characterized the Israeli government's response as 'insufficient' and noted that the delays worsened the consequences of a predictable humanitarian crisis.

Start of winter and a call to action

'Winter in Gaza is only beginning, and without urgent action the situation will get worse. The Israeli government must immediately allow the entry of rescue equipment, construction materials, and winter supplies into Gaza,' Anadolu quotes the senator as saying. Schatz stressed that disagreements over the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not stand in the way of aid to civilians, pointing to the plight of children exposed to freezing temperatures and families whose shelters have been damaged by the rains: 'We don't need to agree on everything before we help these people. We must help them because they are human beings.'