Tlaib makes plea in support of lives in Gaza

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) made a plea in support of Palestinian civilians in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

“I cannot believe I have to beg my country and colleagues to value every human life, no matter their faith or ethnicity,” Tlaib wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday.

Tlaib’s post came in response to a post from the Israel and Palestine Director of Human Rights Watch, noting words from the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator on the dire situation in Gaza. The territory is facing a blackout amid Israeli airstrikes, and Israel has cut off supplies to the territory until hostages taken into Gaza by Hamas are freed. 

Tlaib is also of Palestinian descent and has been vocal in her support of the Palestinian people in the past. She’s faced recent criticism over a statement in which she called Israel an apartheid state.

“The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer. No person, no child anywhere should have to suffer or live in fear of violence. We cannot ignore the humanity in each other,” Tlaib said.

“As long as our country provides billions in unconditional funding to support the apartheid government, this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue,” Tlaib continued. 

Israel ordered some 1 million people in the north of Gaza to evacuate to the southern part of the territory Friday. The U.N. warned that the movement of a large number of people within a 24-hour deadline would be disastrous. A ground operation by Israeli forces in the territory that could bring more death on both sides is expected to come soon.