III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 554 

Calling for the urgent delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to address 

the needs of civilians in Gaza. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 9, 2024 

Mr. WELCH (for himself, Mr. KAINE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. 

MERKLEY, Ms. SMITH, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BENNET, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. 

WARNOCK, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. SCHATZ, Ms. STABENOW, 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, and Mr. KING) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for the urgent delivery of sufficient humanitarian 

aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza. 

Whereas the population of the Gaza Strip, an estimated 

2,200,000 people, are classified as in crisis or worse with 

respect to levels of acute food insecurity as reported by 

the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification; 

Whereas, according to the World Food Program, an estimated 1,700,000 people are facing potential imminent 

starvation in Gaza; 

Whereas women habitually eat last and least in times of 

heightened food insecurity; 


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•SRES 554 IS 

Whereas the World Health Organization reports that a lack 

of adequate medical supplies, food, water, and fuel have 

severely compromised an already under-resourced health 

system in Gaza; 

Whereas, according to the World Health Organization, there 

are only 16 partially functioning hospitals in Gaza; 

Whereas the World Health Organization has recorded an increased risk of preventable diseases, diarrhea, and acute 

respiratory infections in Gaza; 

Whereas the water and sanitation systems in Gaza have been 

severely damaged or destroyed, and the United Nations 

has reported that more than 96 percent of the available 

water supply in Gaza is unfit for human consumption; 

Whereas there has been extensive damage to other critical infrastructure in Gaza, impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid; 

Whereas improvements to the deconfliction process are needed in Gaza to allow humanitarian organizations to safely 

carry out their missions delivering aid to individuals most 

in need; 

Whereas the United States has helped lead the humanitarian 

response in Gaza and is the largest single-state funder of 

humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people; 

Whereas, prior to the conflict that began in 2023, an average 

of 500 trucks carrying fuel, commodities, and private sector goods entered Gaza every working day; 

Whereas the number of aid trucks entering Gaza has fallen 

to an average drastically below 500 per day; 


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•SRES 554 IS 

Whereas the opening of Kerem Shalom crossing was a welcome step in facilitating an increase in aid delivery into 

Gaza; 

Whereas the process of inspections of aid trucks seeking 

entry to Gaza remains inefficient, creating substantial 

delays in the delivery of aid; and 

Whereas United States officials have worked to increase access for aid trucks and to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but far more needs to be done: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate urgently calls on the ad2 ministration of President Joseph R. Biden, in coordination 

3 with United States allies and partners within the inter4 national community, to help facilitate a dramatic increase 

5 in humanitarian aid to prevent starvation and disease in 

6 Gaza by— 

7 (1) streamlining the inspection of trucks enter8 ing Gaza; 

9 (2) increasing the access points for aid deliv10 eries into Gaza; 

11 (3) ensuring the distribution of adequate fuel to 

12 hospitals and humanitarian organizations in Gaza; 

13 (4) ensuring the ability of humanitarian organi14 zations to deliver aid safely and urgently in Gaza; 

15 (5) expanding the number of safe shelters and 

16 food distribution locations for displaced people in 

17 Gaza; 


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•SRES 554 IS 

1 (6) supporting efforts to restore water supply 

2 lines; and 

3 (7) working to secure the additional funding 

4 necessary to support the humanitarian response. 

Æ 


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