["The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does
it," said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. ]
[[link removed]]

SANDERS SAYS ‘CHILDREN AND INNOCENT PEOPLE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE
PUNISHED FOR ACTS OF HAMAS’  
[[link removed]]


 

Jake Johnson
October 11, 2023
Common Dreams [[link removed]]

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

_ "The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it,"
said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. _

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, CNBC

 

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders
[[link removed]] on Wednesday called
Israel's total siege of the Gaza Strip a breach of international law
and urged the Biden administration to work with the global community
to bring about an end to the escalating violence, which has already
taken a grisly toll on civilians in Israel and the occupied
Palestinian territory.

"For many, it is no secret that Gaza has been an open-air prison, with
millions of people struggling to secure basic necessities," Sanders
(I-Vt.) said in a statement. "Hamas' terrorism will make it much more
difficult to address that tragic reality and will embolden extremists
on both sides, continuing the cycle of violence."

The senator added that while he welcomes the Biden administration's
offer of "solidarity and support to Israel" in the wake of Hamas'
deadly attack, "we must also insist on restraint from Israeli forces
attacking Gaza and work to secure U.N. humanitarian access."

"Let us not forget that half of the 2 million people in Gaza are
children," said Sanders. "Children and innocent people do not deserve
to be punished for the acts of Hamas."

Hundreds of children
[[link removed]] and
more than 1,000 people overall have been killed by Israeli airstrikes
that began raining down on the densely populated Gaza Strip on
Saturday after Hamas gunmen broke through Israel's border structure
[[link removed]] and
massacred hundreds of civilians.

UNICEF warned
[[link removed]] earlier
this week that Israel's decision
[[link removed]] to cut off
the electricity supply to Gaza and block food, water, and fuel from
entering the enclave in response to the Hamas attack "may put the
lives of children at risk."

On Wednesday, Gaza's last operational power plant shut down
[[link removed]] due
to a lack of fuel, forcing increasingly overwhelmed hospitals
[[link removed]] to
rely on generators. Gazan authorities said the situation on the ground
is quickly spiraling into a "humanitarian catastrophe
[[link removed]]."

Sanders said Wednesday that the focus of the international community
should be on "reducing humanitarian suffering and protecting innocent
people on both sides of this conflict" as Israel prepares for a ground
invasion of Gaza and continues its bombing campaign, leveling entire
neighborhoods and damaging schools, medical facilities, and other
civilian infrastructure.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that American weaponry
is headed to Israel and did not call for a cease-fire, unlike
a growing number
[[link removed]] of
U.S. lawmakers and government officials around the world. Biden also
did not mention the Israeli blockade, which Sanders described as "a
serious violation of international law" that "will do nothing but harm
innocent civilians."

"The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it,"
Sanders said.

_Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams._

* Bernie Sanders
[[link removed]]
* Israel Palestine
[[link removed]]
* war crimes
[[link removed]]

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

 

 

 

INTERPRET THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT

 

 

Submit via web
[[link removed]]

Submit via email
Frequently asked questions
[[link removed]]

Manage subscription
[[link removed]]

Visit xxxxxx.org
[[link removed]]

Twitter [[link removed]]

Facebook [[link removed]]

 




[link removed]

To unsubscribe, click the following link:
[link removed]