1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

Why It Matters Over 2 million people live in Gaza: half of them children. Right now, many face extreme shortages of food, clean water, and medical care. Denying humanitarian aid places innocent lives at risk and fuels instability. The Case for Immediate Aid Access 1. Civilian Survival • Families cannot meet basic needs without outside assistance. • Children are at greatest risk of malnutrition and dehydration. 2. Hospitals in Crisis • Doctors lack fuel, supplies, and medicine. • Pregnant women, newborns, and the injured suffer without treatment. 3. Upholding International Law • The Geneva Conventions protect civilians in conflict. • Collective punishment through blockade is prohibited. 4. Protecting Humanitarian Workers • Members of the Freedom Flotilla and other humanitarian missions must not be jailed for attempting to deliver food and medicine. • Criminalizing aid efforts undermines international humanitarian law and sets a dangerous precedent against lifesaving work. 5. Preventing Wider Harm • Lack of sanitation and clean water creates epidemics that can spread beyond borders. • Stability in the region depends on meeting humanitarian needs. 6. Shared Humanity • Aid is not political—it is lifesaving. • Providing food, water, and medical supplies affirms basic human dignity. What We Ask We urge policymakers and leaders to:
1. Ensure safe passage for humanitarian organizations.
2. Support international calls for aid access.
3. Demand the immediate release and protection of humanitarian volunteers.
4. Use U.S. influence to prioritize civilian protection. Bottom Line Humanitarian aid is a lifeline. Blocking it, or criminalizing those who deliver it, puts children and families at risk and undermines peace. Allowing aid is both a legal obligation and a moral necessity.