SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)– Congressman Richard Neal said the U.S. continues to stand firmly with Israel, one of their strongest allies.
The United Nations agency in Gaza says an urgent cease-fire is a matter of life and death for millions of Palestinians. The fighting between Israelis and Hamas has been going on since the attack began on October 7, and innocent people caught in the conflict are continuing to lose their lives.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 8,300 people have been killed, 66% of them women and children, and the United Nations humanitarian office says tens of thousands of people are injured. The Palestinian U.N. ambassador urged the Security Council to put an end to the violence but Israel is rejecting the cease-fire.
22News spoke with Congressman Neal about the conflict.
“I think Israel has a right to defend itself. I think they have to deal with Hamas and I think that President Biden has correctly urged them to act within the framework of the rules of law as it relates to the world order,” remarked Neal.
Calls for a cease fire in Gaza have grown louder. On Tuesday a group of protesters interrupted a senate appropriations committee hearing on Capitol Hill.
Meantime, the White House said that 66 trucks of humanitarian aid have moved into the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, the highest single day delivery of aid since the war began.
Kiara Smith is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since March 2023. Follow Kiara on X @KiaraBSmith1 and view her bio to see more of her work.
