Heinrich, Luján Call for Fuel Deliveries to Hospitals and Water Treatment Centers in Gaza

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) are encouraging the Biden administration to work with our Israeli, Egyptian, and UN partners to transport fuel to sites in Gaza where it can be used immediately to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians. Heinrich and Luján released the following joint statement led by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.):

“We condemn Hamas’ horrific terrorist attacks against Israel, for which Israel must hold Hamas accountable. In the course of that endeavor, every effort must be made to protect innocent civilians. Right now, hospitals in Gaza are hours away from running out of fuel that powers ventilators, incubators for babies, and other lifesaving equipment, and diseases are rapidly spreading without power to treat and pump clean drinking water. To prevent a potential health crisis and help save countless lives, we believe it is possible to transport fuel directly to these hospitals, desalination plants, and water pumping stations with full transparency to prevent diversion to Hamas. There are extensive oversight mechanisms in place that will track the fuel deliveries directly to the intended sites where they can be used immediately to prevent the deaths of innocent civilians, including babies and children. We encourage the Biden administration to work with our Israeli, Egyptian, and UN partners to enable these lifesaving deliveries.”

Heinrich, Luján, Murphy, Van Hollen, Schatz, Welch, and Merkley are joined by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Cory Booker (D-N.J), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

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