US lawmakers renew calls for 'Israel' arms embargo
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US lawmakers, including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are calling for a halt to military aid to "Israel" and an arms embargo, condemning the ongoing blockade and airstrikes on Gaza.
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An injured man is taken to Al-Ahli Hospital following overnight Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, on March 18, 2025. (AP)
A group of US lawmakers said they no longer want to be involved in "Israel's" genocidal attack on the Gaza Strip and total blockade of the war-torn enclave, urging Washington to stop providing military aid to the Israeli occupation.
Legislators blasted President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday for expanding military aid to Tel Aviv, calling for a weapons embargo on "Israel" and an end to all US backing for "Israel".
Senator Bernie Sanders called for a halt in US aid to the occupation, noting the cruel blockade on Gaza that has not allowed any food, water, or fuel into the Strip.
"Now he has resumed bombing, killing hundreds of people and breaking the ceasefire that had given Gaza a chance to live again," Sanders expressed.
Congressman Greg Casar, for his part, condemned the blockade of Gaza, claiming that the Israeli authority "has started bombing Gaza again, in violation of the negotiated ceasefire, after blocking food, water, and aid for weeks."
The US "must stop sending offensive weapons" to "Israel", he asserted, adding that the US could not continue to be "complicit in Netanyahu’s assault on Palestinian families."
Lawmakers also advocated for an emergency arms embargo against "Israel".
“Netanyahu has blocked aid to Gaza for two weeks. Last night, he ordered strikes that killed over 400 Palestinians, endangered hostages, and broke a fragile ceasefire,” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez contended, adding that Congress "must uphold our laws and stop further weapons transfers to Israel."
Under Donald Trump, the United States has continued to provide "Israel" with billions of dollars in armaments, including 2,000-pound (907kg) bombs. On February 7, Washington approved the sale of nearly $7.4 billion in bombs, missiles, and other military equipment to the Israeli occupation.
"The Israeli apartheid regime has resumed its genocide, carrying out airstrikes all across Gaza and killing hundreds of Palestinians," Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib wrote on X, emphasizing that "Israel" would not stop unless sanctions and a weapons embargo were implemented.
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar echoed the sentiment saying, "Netanyahu has shattered the ceasefire agreement, indiscriminately killing hundreds of people in Gaza."
"Arms embargo NOW," she insisted.
Trump 'fully supports' Israeli actions in Gaza: White House
US President Donald Trump "fully supports" the renewal of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday, blaming the carnage on the Palestinian resistance, Hamas.
"He fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that they've taken in recent days," Leavitt told reporters when asked whether Trump was attempting to restart the Gaza ceasefire.
"The president made it very clear to Hamas that if they did not release all of the hostages there would be all hell to pay, and unfortunately, Hamas chose to play games in the media with lives."
Leavitt stated that the issue was "completely the fault of Hamas" for their operation against "Israel" on October 7, 2023, and that Trump wanted all Israeli captives freed.
Earlier this month, Trump divulged he would allow fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza if Israeli captives were not released.
