A group of Democratic senators has called on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to urgently probe claims of “hundreds” of human rights violations by Israeli military units in Gaza, according to a Wednesday report.
The Washington Post, citing a letter addressed to Rubio, reported that the lawmakers referenced a classified assessment by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).
Senators Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Jack Reed of Rhode Island led the letter, warning that delays in reviewing incidents of killing, torture and other abuses risk undermining US laws that bar security assistance to foreign military units credibly accused of such violations.
Nine additional members of the Democratic caucus also reportedly signed the request.
"Without effective enforcement mechanisms, these laws and policies become meaningless,” the senators wrote.
The lawmakers urged Rubio to implement the OIG’s recommendations and asked whether he needed additional resources to address the caseload.
A State Department official told the Post that the department "is aware of and complies with its legal obligations.” The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
The U.S. has not ruled any Israeli unit ineligible for assistance under the Leahy Laws despite high-profile incidents still pending review, including the killings of World Central Kitchen workers in April 2024 and more than 100 Palestinians near Gaza City in February 2024 as they gathered around aid trucks.
The Leahy Law, named after former Senator Patrick Leahy, requires the U.S. to withhold military assistance from foreign military or law enforcement units if there is credible evidence of human rights violations.
Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and injured 171,000 others in a brutal war that has left much of the enclave in ruins.
