On MSNBC’s “Way Too Early” broadcast Wednesday, Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) said, “As the United States is now discovering, after delivering aid to Israel, we are ensuring that it is distributed and delivered to Gaza.” It’s very difficult to reach the people in the area. This is a bigger issue than what Israel is doing or not doing, and it’s Hamas and others who are repurposing the trucks. “It’s some other organization.” But he insisted it was important to work with Israel to ensure aid reached the people. He also said Hamas’ failure to release hostages and agree to a ceasefire was also a problem.
Lanzman said, “Surge humanitarian aid is a top priority. It has to be a top priority. I was in Israel a few months ago, and that was the primary mission or purpose of our trip, to put pressure on not just Israel but all the parties involved, to surge humanitarian aid and create the conditions for that. As the U.S. is now realizing, once aid is received in Israel, it is extremely difficult to ensure that it is distributed and gets to the Gazans, and that is a big problem that goes beyond what Israel is doing or not doing, it is that it is Hamas and others that are diverting these trucks. So it is very important to work with Israel to create those conditions, those humanitarian corridors. Obviously the challenge is that Hamas is holding hostages and is refusing to release the hostages or agree to the proposed ceasefire, and we obviously need Hamas to agree to a ceasefire. And if they don’t, Israel will pursue an end to Hamas and rescue the hostages in as surgical and disciplined a manner as possible.”
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