The House approved a bipartisan amendment prohibiting the State Department from citing Gaza Health Ministry death toll statistics on the Israel-Hamas conflict, aiming to alter casualty reporting; the amendment now advances to the Senate. (Shutterstock)
Share
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The House approved an amendment last week that prohibits the State Department from relying on death toll statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, The Hill reported. This move, if enacted, would effectively curtail discussions on the war’s casualties.
The bipartisan amendment, led by Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), and Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), passed on a 269-144 voice vote on Thursday. A group of 62 Democrats joined all but two Republicans in voting for the measure.
Among the Democrats voting for the bill were Reps. Jim Costa of Fresno and Josh Harder (D-Stockton), the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported. The two Republicans in opposition were Reps. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
Related Story: Israel Releases 55 Palestinians It Had Detained from Gaza, Including Hospital ...
The legislation challenges the longstanding use of Gaza Health Ministry data, which has been a key — if highly controversial — source for understanding the impact of the conflict on Palestinians in Gaza.
The amendment will now proceed to the Senate as part of the broader State Department funding bill.
Read more at The Hill.