Richie Torres Discusses Family Divide Over Support for Israel

On Tuesday, Richie Torres, a Democrat backed by Israel, opened up about his strained family relationships due to his staunch support for Israel.

“I lost a friend; you all lost a friend there,” he shared with a gathering of Jewish students. “I’m no longer in touch with some members of my family.”

His unwavering support for Israel has put him at odds with the more Progressive elements within his party. However, dissatisfaction with the Israeli government is growing among New York Democrats. He remarked, “There are no attacks, but the Israeli government… it has the worst PR operation I’ve ever seen.”

In addressing humanitarian concerns, Torres noted, “If there are ordinary members who approach me and they’re not anti-Israel or anti-Semitic, but they express worries about hunger in Gaza, I can’t simply brush it off. I can’t deny that it’s an issue.”

According to reports from the Gaza Health Ministry, around 60,000 Palestinians have died due to the Israeli military’s actions aimed at eliminating Hamas, with reports of 154 people dying from food shortages. Former President Donald Trump recently acknowledged the “real starvation” happening in Gaza.

Torres stated that while Israel is not to blame for the starvation issue, “I think we should do everything possible to ease the suffering of the people in Gaza.” He pointed out that there seems to be a “double standard” when it comes to expectations of Israel compared to other countries that don’t provide aid to their enemies.

He also commented on the complexities of the situation, suggesting that those who don’t hold Hamas accountable for the October 7 attacks “can’t pretend” to be humanitarian.

Despite the challenges, aid has been flowing into Gaza through Israel, with reports indicating that over 97 million meals have been delivered since operations began on May 27. However, Torres acknowledged that this does not diminish the narrative around deliberate starvation policies.

While aid continues to arrive, concerns remain about the effectiveness of its distribution. UN sources claim that only 8% of UN aid has successfully reached its intended destinations in the past 10 weeks, highlighting the struggles on the ground.

Israel maintains there is no widespread hunger in Gaza, but they have begun to pause military operations during the day to allow for increased humanitarian aid. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing, with White House envoy Steve Witkov traveling to Israel for discussions.