Dear John, it’s Sen. Angus King –

The harrowing images from Gaza of the devastation, coupled with the recent news of over a hundred dead while seeking aid, underscore the gravity of this moment. This past week, I wrote the President directly urging him to seek solutions that prioritize the safety of civilians and the de-escalation of violence.

America has a leadership role to play in ensuring this conflict reaches a peaceful resolution that prioritizes civilian safety. Israel has every right to defend itself from terrorism, but their manner of doing so is costing innocent lives and is degrading their reputation here and around the world.

I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu in mid-January and told him what I believe; that the bombing campaign is causing too many civilian casualties and is doing more harm to Israel than Hamas.

We must be unequivocal in our nation’s stance that civilians must not be a target in this war. That also means being honest about the role Hamas terrorists are playing in making this goal as difficult to achieve as possible. By basing their operations within civilian infrastructure and blocking humanitarian aid that could save lives, they have prolonged and perpetuated the suffering of the Palestinians they claim to represent.

As it stands, the civilians in Gaza are trapped - prevented from leaving by Hamas and unwelcome in bordering countries like Egypt even if they can escape. Providing aid to the Palestinian people is a moral imperative for the United States. To ensure its effectiveness, I’ve publicly urged that we deploy a hospital ship to Gaza and establish a sea-borne capacity for the delivery of aid.

I support a ceasefire, but it must apply to both sides. Hamas has fired 15,000 rockets into civilian areas of Israel since the start of the war. Most of these have been blocked by Israeli air defenses, but the fact that civilian deaths in Israel have been prevented is not due to any restraint or concern about civilians on the part of Hamas. If Israel stops its counterproductive bombing campaign, it must also be met with similar restraint on the part of Hamas and assurance that it will not face a repeat of October 7th.

The goals moving forward are clear, but by no means simple. Ensuring that the hostages taken are released and returned to safety, delivering aid to the Palestinian people, and reaching a mutual ceasefire agreement will require a fundamental shift in perspective on both sides. Preventing further escalation of this tragic conflict is of global importance. I am hopeful that the steps outlined above – greater humanitarian aid, an end to bombing and rocket attacks on both sides, the release of hostages, a mutual ceasefire, and the ultimate establishment of a Palestinian state that does not threaten its neighbors – will lead to a resolution that will finally move us toward sustainable peace.

– Senator Angus King