Bennet, Colleagues Call for Expedited Medical Evacuations of Children from Gaza

July 26, 2024

Washington, D.C. - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, alongside 13 of his Senate colleagues, urged Ambassador of Israel to the United States Michael Herzog and Ambassador of Egypt to the United States Motaz Zahran to help Palestinian children who are critically ill or injured can leave Gaza safely to seek medical treatment, and increase access to life-saving medical treatments in Gaza.

"While people disagree about the war in Gaza, everyone should agree that no government should prevent injured children access to potentially life-saving medical care. Rather, governments should be doing everything possible to assist in this situation," said Bennet and the senators.

"We have called on our own government to do its part in facilitating safe passage for these children. Our goal is to cooperate with your governments, consistent with your security concerns, to maximize safe passage and increase access to life-saving medical treatment for children in need. We understand some progress has been made, with a number of children in need of cancer treatment being moved out of Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, in cooperation with the World Health Organization," continued the senators. "We are encouraged by this development as a very positive first step. We must all treat the welfare of children in Gaza as an urgent humanitarian priority and work together to prevent further suffering."

The senators also requested meetings with the Ambassadors to discuss the facilitation of safe passage for more children and their accompanying parent or caregiver to ensure their access to necessary medical treatment.

Bennet previously urgedthe Biden administration to continue working with allies and partners to expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza by increasing access points for aid into Gaza, distributing adequate fuel to hospitals, and ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.

Bennet also traveledto the West Bank, Israel, and Jordan earlier this year. In meetings with Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian leaders, he underscored that degrading Hamas' military capabilities, fighting for release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and protecting and delivering aid to Palestinian civilians cannot be mutually exclusive.

In addition to Bennet, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) also signed the letter.

The text of the letter is available HEREand below.

Dear Ambassador Herzog and Ambassador Zahran,

We write to convey our shared concern with the situation facing critically ill and injured Palestinian children whose medical and surgical needs can only be met with safe passage out of Gaza to neighboring countries where treatment is available.

While people disagree about the war in Gaza, everyone should agree that no government should prevent injured children access to potentially life-saving medical care. Rather, governments should be doing everything possible to assist in this situation.

We have called on our own government to do its part in facilitating safe passage for these children. Our goal is to cooperate with your governments, consistent with your security concerns, to maximize safe passage and increase access to life-saving medical treatment for children in need. We understand some progress has been made, with a number of children in need of cancer treatment being moved out of Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, in cooperation with the World Health Organization. We are encouraged by this development as a very positive first step. We must all treat the welfare of children in Gaza as an urgent humanitarian priority and work together to prevent further suffering.

We request an opportunity to meet with you for further discussion of how we can work together to facilitate safe passage for more children and their accompanying parent or caregiver to have access to the medical treatment they desperately need and is available if passage is allowed.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

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