No time to spare in Gaza

The U.S. State Department's declaration that Israel is not in violation of international law ignores overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Problems viewing this email? [View it in your browser]( [Center for American Progress]( InProgress from the Center for American Progress Assertion that Netanyahu is complying with international law in Gaza is a gross disregard of overwhelming evidence Since Hamas militants brutally killed more than 1,200 [Israelis]( on October 7, 2023, Israel has responded with some of the most intense [bombardments]( the world has seen this century. Israel has a right to defend itself and go after the Hamas militants responsible for that heinous attack. But nearly six months in, Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza has [killed]( more than 33,000 and created a grave humanitarian crisis. Rights groups have reported that Israel is regularly [obstructing]( aid delivery, and some Israeli officials have explicitly [declared]( their intentions to block aid. These actions are directly contributing to an [impending famine]( that threatens to leave more than 1 million Palestinians in Gaza at catastrophic levels of hunger and starvation in the next two months. On March 25, 2024, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced that he had received “[credible]( assurances that Israel was complying with international humanitarian law and that the administration has not found Israel in violation of the law. Following the announcement, [Patrick Gaspard]( president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued [the following statement]( The State Department’s shocking assertion that the Netanyahu government is complying with international law in Gaza is a gross disregard of overwhelming evidence and a dangerous precedent in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. The stakes here are so high that the administration must be transparent and accountable in sharing with the American people all evidence that has led to this determination and the continued sale of offensive weapons to Israel. [‘We are imposing a complete siege. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel—everything is closed.’]( This was the stated goal of Israeli Defense Minister [Yoav] Gallant at the start of the assault on Gaza, and every aspect of this edict has been on open display to the world. It’s a falsehood with catastrophic implications to assert otherwise. The documentation of respected aid organizations, human rights groups, the media, international partners, and State Department bureaus all points to the reality of clear violations of this law and of our values. The United States, by its own imposed standards, cannot heedlessly deliver offensive weapons as the Israeli government continues to bombard and starve innocents on a mass scale. These actions have nothing to do with self defense; they are clearly intended as collective punishment and are resulting in the complete devastation of Palestinians as a people. There is no time to spare in pulling back from this outrageous assertion by the State Department: An Israeli incursion into Rafah promises to bring only more death and devastation to civilians—and will make the administration complicit in one of the worst tramplings of human rights in this century. [Statement from March 26, 2024]( Sign up for our National Security and International Policy newsletter list to receive timely updates from CAP policy experts: [Stay informed]( Takeaways from Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA oral arguments [Dr. Cheryl Hamlin and Sabrina Talukder standing in front of the Supreme Court building.]( On Tuesday, CAP provided [live coverage]( at the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices heard oral arguments for Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Alongside CAP storyteller [Dr. Cheryl Hamlin]( last abortion provider]( in Mississippi—CAP rallied with hundreds of advocates from across the country for abortion access. Although mifepristone, [the medication abortion drug]( at stake in this case, has been repeatedly evaluated as [safe and effective]( by the FDA, far-right extremists are trying to ban medication abortion by any means necessary and are fueling the politicization of medicine in the process. Watch our takeaways from the day from Dr. Hamlin and CAP’s Sabrina Talukder, director of the Women’s Initiative: [WAtch Now]( We need accountability for billionaire-backed judges Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA is an attempt by far-right activists to put politics ahead of patients. A majority of Americans [support the right to abortion]( while [billionaire-backed]( judges could undermine medical science at the expense of the health, safety, and rights of all Americans. We need a Supreme Court that represents the interests of the people, not corporate or partisan interests. Tell Congress to restore accountability on the Supreme Court and enact term limits now. [Take Action]( States must step up to protect voters [People lined up to vote with a sign saying Vote Here (Aqui)]( Across the country, voters continue to face barriers to voting. Over the past decade, [states have adopted at least 94 laws]( that make it harder for Americans to vote, and every year, state legislators continue to introduce [hundreds more](. Making matters worse, courts have stripped federal voting laws of critical protections, leaving voters without the tools necessary to defend against the onslaught of these restrictive laws. While federal legislation awaits action in Congress, state voting rights acts (VRAs)—a category of laws designed to protect voters of color from discriminatory voting policies—can both help fill the holes left by the courts’ gutting of the federal Voting Rights Act and offer expanded protections not currently available under the federal law. As of February 2024, only [six states]( have implemented some version of a state VRA. Although additional states, including Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Jersey, have state VRA legislation pending, much work still needs to be done. It is critical that each state adopt strong voter protections, including a state VRA, in order to remove barriers to voting and to continue to [build a democracy that works for all](. [Read More]( The Biden administration is fighting for a cleaner nation for all [ President Joe Biden speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House ]( The Biden administration's robust climate and environmental justice initiatives are paving the way for cleaner air, cleaner water, and healthier communities for all. Through policies and investments secured in the [Inflation Reduction Act]( and the [bipartisan infrastructure law]( the administration is driving impactful and equitable change toward a sustainable future by providing jobs, tackling pollution, and cleaning water sources. These historic investments, which are part of the Biden administration’s [Justice40 Initiative]( provide at least $148 billion to reduce harmful pollution that disproportionately burdens low-income communities and communities of color and to increase access to affordable clean energy. With a focus on equity, the administration is fighting to secure clean air and water for all Americans. 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