(Daily Caller News Foundation) — Several left-wing members of Congress called on the United States to prevent Israel from carrying out an “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians” in social media posts after the Israeli military warned residents of Gaza to evacuate.
The Israeli government warned Palestinian civilians to evacuate from Gaza prior to the commencement of ground operations Friday. Hamas launched multiple attacks across southern Israel Saturday, Oct. 7, killing at least 1,200 people, including 27 Americans, and taking dozens of hostages.
“The United States’ responsibility is to human rights,” Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a 45-second video statement. “That means supporting the safety of the Israeli people and preventing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.”
“I share the UN’s alarm over this unprecedented evacuation order,” Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts posted on X. “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is dire and Palestinian, Israeli and American civilians are in harms way. The Israeli government must follow international law and prioritize saving civilian lives right now.”
Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley are part of a group in the House of Representatives known as “the Squad,” which has called for “defunding” police and canceling student loan debt. Members of the group also urged Israel to either deescalate or “end the occupation” in statements released in the aftermath of last Saturday’s attack.
“The mass expulsion of over 1 million people in a day is ethnic cleansing,” Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota posted on X. “The UN has already said this is ‘impossible’ and will have ‘devastating humanitarian consequences.’ We have to stop ignoring the thousands of Palestinian lives lost and millions at stake! We must use all diplomatic tools [to] stop this.”
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri targeted Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina over his support for military action.
“2 million people, nearly half children, are trapped in Gaza without access to food, fuel & drinking water,” Bush posted Thursday. “Israel’s former intelligence chief has called it an open air prison. They have nowhere to go. ‘Leveling’ Gaza like the Senator is calling for is a crime against humanity.”
A spokesman for Graham referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to a pair of posts on X, one of which was directed at Ocasio-Cortez.
“I’ll tell you what needs to stop, @AOC,” Graham posted. “The brutal killings of innocent children, women and civilians at the hands of Hamas and Hezbollah. You and the members of your ‘Squad’ should be ashamed of yourselves for refusing to unequivocally stand with our closest ally.”
