AIPAC commends the House of Representatives for adopting a bipartisan resolution calling for the permanent demilitarization of Gaza and denouncing the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas. The resolution also strongly supports the right of Israel to defend its citizens against Hamas rockets and the terrorist organization’s use of terror tunnels to attack the Jewish state. The resolution was authored by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Ted Deutch (D-FL).
The resolution notes that Hamas “has been using civilian populations as human shields by placing their missile batteries in densely populated areas and near schools, hospitals, and mosques.” In contrast, Israel “drops leaflets, makes announcements, places phone calls and send text messages to the Palestinian people in Gaza warning them in advance that and attack is imminent, and goes to extraordinary lengths to target only terrorist actors.”
The resolution further calls on the international community to recognize and condemn Hamas’ breaches of international law through the use of human shields. It also condemns the United Nations Human Rights Council’s “biased commission of inquiry into Israel’s Gaza operations.”
Hamas is engaged in unprovoked terrorist aggression against the Jewish state while employing tactics that have jeopardized the safety of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians.