Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen said he wants to see the peace process expedited as the Israel-Hamas war passes the two-month mark and the death toll continues to increase.
"We have to look at what is going to cause stability, security, safety. And we have to have a shared sense of humanity for what's going on. I'm increasingly troubled at what's going on in Gaza, as it seems that perhaps the Netanyahu government doesn't, isn't playing by the rules," said Sorensen, who represents the 17th Congressional District. That includes parts of Bloomington-Normal.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was dispatched to Tel Aviv on Monday to relay not only continuing American support for Israel, but also the Biden administration's concerns about the growing number of Palestinian civilians killed in the conflict, and the lack of basic resources for people caught in the middle.
Sorensen echoed some of those sentiments in comments to reporters ahead of an unrelated event in Peoria on Monday morning. He said he hopes secretary Austin can track down some answers.
"We need to make sure that the people in Gaza are taken care of. Hamas does not have the grip over their security, their safety, their well being anymore," he said. "We have to expedite humanitarian aid. We also have to make sure that Hamas has no place to be able to do terrorist actions like they did on October 7th."
That Oct. 7 attack by Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis. More than 200 people were kidnapped. Some of those hostages were later returned in prisoner exchanges.
