US senator demands Biden give Congress evidence that Israel is hindering Gaza aid

WASHINGTON (AA) – Senator Tom Cotton on Wednesday demanded that President Joe Biden produce “evidence” that Israel is impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Cotton’s demand comes a day after the Biden administration confirmed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told their Israeli counterparts that Israel must improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within 30 days, particularly by facilitating the delivery of international aid, or risk an American arms embargo.

“I write to strongly condemn the Biden-Harris administration’s threat to impose an arms embargo on Israel if they do not meet your unreasonable demands to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza,” Cotton wrote in a letter, a copy of which was obtained by Anadolu.

“I demand that you provide any ‘evidence’ of such violations to the relevant Congressional committees within the next three days. As I assume you cannot do so, I demand that you immediately rescind your threats to our ally,” he added.

Cotton said he believes the letter is a “politically driven excuse to pressure” Israel “to ratchet down its campaign against the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies.”

Austin and Blinken’s message on aid to Gaza – sent in a letter to two Israeli Cabinet ministers – detailed multiple issues that could imperil the further provision of American military assistance.

Israel has dramatically increased its attacks on northern Gaza in recent days, killing scores of Palestinian civilians and ordering them to flee. Many who have attempted to do so have reported coming under Israeli attack.