(BALTIMORE, MD, 8/30/2025) — The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today commended U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) for their visit to the Middle East, including the West Bank, Egypt, and Jordan, and attempting to enter Gaza in order to assess the Israeli-made, U.S. backed humanitarian catastrophe unfolding there amid Israel’s ongoing genocide and to advocate for unfettered aid access.

The civil rights group is urging more members of Congress to undertake similar missions to draw public attention to the urgency of demanding Israel end its genocide and to witness firsthand the devastating consequences of Israel’s ongoing U.S.-backed blockade and bombardment as the United States announced it won’t participate in a United Nations review of its human rights record.

In a statement, CAIR said: 

“Senators Van Hollen and Merkley have taken a bold and necessary step by confronting the Israeli manufactured and U.S.-backed humanitarian calamity in Gaza head on. Their mission must not stand alone. Israel’s barring them entry to Gaza underscores the urgency of taking decisive steps to end its rampage of death, violence and destruction. Members of Congress must utilize every tool—diplomatic, legal, and legislative—to ensure that our nation’s values and laws demand an end to civilian suffering. The crisis in Gaza is not abstract—it is a matter of life and death. We call on our representatives to act urgently and courageously.”

Context and Key Observations from the Senators’ Trip:

  • The delegation visited critical logistics points, including the Rafah crossing and nearby aid warehouses in Egypt, and crossings in Israel such as Kerem Shalom and the Port of Ashdod. Despite massive stocks—enough food to feed Gaza’s population for three weeks—the flow of aid remains severely curbed, with only about 20 containers per day permitted to pass.
  • The senators denounced what they described as “pure propaganda” from the Israeli side asserting that aid distribution is well‑organized, contrasting sharply with the reality of deliberate obstruction on the ground.
  • Aid organizations, including UNRWA, report that their warehouses in Egypt and Jordan are fully stocked with approximately 6,000 trucks ready to deliver life‑saving supplies—if only permission were granted.

Additional Legislative Action and Oversight

Earlier in May 2025, Senators including Van Hollen and Merkley—joined by Sen. Warren, Durbin, Sanders, and Welch—requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate whether Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid violate U.S. law (notably the Leahy Laws and Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act).

 

CAIR welcomes the efforts of Senators Van Hollen and Merkley and calls on Congress to further amplify these actions with:

  • Immediate Congressional Delegations
    • Encourage more members—particularly those on Foreign Relations, Appropriations, and relevant oversight committees—to travel to the region, directly inspect crossings and warehouse bottlenecks, and engage with aid organizations and affected communities.
  • Accountability via U.S. Aid Conditionality
    • Demand the Trump administration fully enforce U.S. laws including the Leahy Laws that bar military or security assistance to any country obstructing humanitarian delivery, with immediate conditionality on aid to Israel unless inspection delays are cleared and crossings like Erez and Rafah are fully operational.
  • Full Restoration of Support to UNRWA and Bypass Politicized Mechanisms
    • Restore and increase funding to UNRWA for Gaza while pressuring for the shutdown of parallel aid mechanisms (like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) that have resulted in chaos and fatalities.
  • Independent Oversight and Transparency
    • Ensure GAO findings are made public and followed by enforcement actions. Pursue targeted sanctions, where warranted, against individuals or entities—including Israeli settlers—implicated in blocking aid.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

The article appeared in cair