[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 935 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 935
Calling for the safe, timely, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian
aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 14, 2023
Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Mrs. Torres of
California, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Levin, Mr. Correa, Ms.
Salinas, Ms. Tokuda, and Mr. Swalwell) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Calling for the safe, timely, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian
aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked and killed more than
1,200 Israeli civilians and took nearly 240 innocent people hostage, and
started a conflict that displaced over 2,000,000 Israeli and Palestinian
civilians;
Whereas the fighting in response to Hamas' October 7th attack and Hamas'
intentional use of civilian infrastructure and tactics to blend into the
civilian population has led to the deaths of thousands of innocent
Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip;
Whereas Israel has the right to defend its citizens and degrade Hamas' military
capability in accordance with international law;
Whereas Hamas must be removed from political and operational control of Gaza;
Whereas a funding package in line with President Biden's October 20, 2023,
supplemental funding proposal is necessary to alleviate the dire
humanitarian crisis in Gaza;
Whereas the aid allowed into Gaza through the Rafah crossing since October 7,
2023, has been insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe in
the region;
Whereas Gaza's water and sanitation systems have been severely affected by the
war and there is a need to rebuild its infrastructure;
Whereas there has been extensive damage to critical infrastructure, making it
more difficult to deliver aid;
Whereas the World Health Organization reports that airstrikes and a lack of
medical supplies, food, water, and fuel have depleted an already under-
resourced health system;
Whereas the World Health Organization has recorded more than 94,858 cases of
diarrhea and 129,230 acute respiratory infections, but actual case
numbers may be significantly higher;
Whereas the United Nations has reported that more than 96 percent of the water
supply in Gaza is unfit for human consumption;
Whereas the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) reported that it would cost an estimated $1,200,000,000 to meet
the needs of 2,700,000 people in Gaza and the West Bank until the end of
2023;
Whereas the United States has helped lead the humanitarian response in Gaza and
is the largest single-State funder of humanitarian assistance to the
Palestinian people;
Whereas, on November 24, 2023, the United States helped negotiate an extended
humanitarian pause that ultimately led Hamas to release or facilitate
the release of over 100 hostages, allowed increased levels of
humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and
provided relief from hostilities;
Whereas there was an increase in aid reaching Gaza during the negotiated
humanitarian pause from November 24, 2023, to November 30, 2023, with
nearly 200 aid trucks crossing into Gaza per day; and
Whereas the extended humanitarian pause ended on December 1, 2023: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) urges the Biden administration to help facilitate--
(A) the scale up of safe and continuous flow of aid
convoys to reach civilians with life-saving assistance
in Gaza;
(B) the opening of additional crossings for aid
trucks to enter Gaza;
(C) the distribution of fuel to humanitarian
organizations working in Gaza;
(D) the ability for humanitarian organizations to
deliver aid in Gaza without impediment or interference;
(E) proper oversight to ensure aid is appropriately
delivered;
(F) the expansion of the number of safe shelters
for displaced people in schools and other public
facilities across Gaza;
(G) the improvement of a humanitarian notification
mechanism;
(H) the establishment of relief distribution hubs;
and
(I) the renewal of a humanitarian pause to
facilitate a surge in humanitarian aid and the release
of additional hostages;
(2) demands Hamas to release all remaining hostages;
(3) condemns any diversion of humanitarian assistance by
Hamas;
(4) recognizes the importance of President Biden's October
20, 2023, supplemental funding request to Congress to address
the humanitarian crisis in Gaza;
(5) calls on the Secretary of State to work with all
regional partners to increase support for funding the
humanitarian response;
(6) calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) to check on the wellbeing of hostages in Gaza; and
(7) encourages Israel to make every effort to minimize
civilian deaths and destruction to infrastructure.
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