A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pressing the State Department to facilitate a large-scale increase in deliveries of infant formula and other essential humanitarian supplies to Gaza, where severe malnutrition threatens the lives of thousands of children.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers described an urgent situation in which infants are dying from hunger and called on the U.S. to apply its full diplomatic influence to address what they term a moral imperative. The communication comes as international organizations have officially declared famine conditions in parts of the territory.
Health officials report that hundreds of individuals, including more than a hundred children, have died from starvation in recent months. The senators warned that conditions may deteriorate further following recent announcements that military operations will no longer include pauses for aid distribution.
“We write to you today with urgency about the grave crisis that infants in Gaza face as a result of severe restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid,” the letter states. The lawmakers emphasized that malnourished mothers are often unable to breastfeed, making access to formula a matter of life and death for many babies. Reports from medical volunteers indicate that formula has been confiscated at border crossings.
The appeal follows similar calls from more than a hundred members of the House of Representatives last week, who also urged accelerated deliveries of infant nutrition products.
Recent data from humanitarian organizations indicates that a significant percentage of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza are suffering from malnutrition. While some increase in aid trucks has been noted in recent days, United Nations agencies state that current levels remain far below what is required to address the scale of the crisis.
The senators’ letter calls for the immediate reopening of all crossings into Gaza and a major expansion of humanitarian access. They have requested a written response from the State Department by early September.
“This moment demands moral clarity and decisive action,” the lawmakers concluded. “We must use our leverage to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.”
