Pocan, Dean Lead Letter to Trump on Violations of the Ceasefire in Gaza

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02) and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) led a letter with 47 of their colleagues to President Trump expressing serious concerns regarding Israeli actions in Gaza that threaten the ceasefire framework, including continued bombardment against civilians, destruction of property, and insufficient delivery of humanitarian aid. The latest reporting indicates that Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement more than 700 times since it was signed less than three months ago.

“Given the longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Israel, it’s imperative that we hold the Israeli government accountable for its actions,” the Members wrote. “We strongly urge your administration to exert maximum diplomatic pressure on the Israeli government, including by leveraging U.S. assistance, to ensure full compliance with the terms of the framework and an end to the continued acts of violence and destruction that undermine this fragile agreement and threaten the prospect of lasting peace in the region.”

“We recognize that both Hamas and Israel have committed ceasefire violations,” the Members continued. “Hamas has continued their brutal campaign in Gaza, including by reasserting control of areas of Gaza by killing civilians, and has killed three Israeli soldiers. However, we are deeply concerned that the Israeli response to violations by Hamas have been severe and disproportionate, resulting in massive loss of life. In fact, since the start of the current ceasefire agreement on October 10, 2025, at least 356 Palestinians have been killed and more than 900 have been injured by Israeli attacks… On November 29, the Israeli military killed two brothers, aged 8 and 10, in a drone strike after they crossed into an Israeli-controlled area of Gaza, referring to the children as “suspects” in a statement that failed to acknowledge they were children. The total death toll from the war in Gaza has now surpassed 70,000, including over 20,000 children.”

“Additionally, since the beginning of the ceasefire Israeli forces have reportedly destroyed more than 1,500 buildings, many of which did not appear to be damaged prior to being destroyed. These actions raise significant concerns that Israel could be acting in violation of international humanitarian law which prohibits the destruction of civilian property unless absolutely necessary for military operations. We also are gravely concerned that the Israeli government is not allowing sufficient levels of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza,” the Members go on to write. “The ceasefire agreement calls for 600 trucks per day to enter Gaza, but recent reports indicate that far fewer trucks are actually getting through. Insufficient and delayed aid deliveries will only exacerbate an already desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza where civilians are still facing severe malnutrition and starvation, the rampant spread of disease, and lack of access to healthcare, clean drinking water, sanitation, and shelter.”

“Unfortunately, the near daily violations of the ceasefire threaten to plunge the region back into full-scale war. It is imperative that your administration exerts maximum diplomatic pressure on the Israeli government, including by leveraging U.S. assistance, to bring an end to the near-daily attacks on civilians, including children, destruction of civilian property, and insufficient delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid,” the Members concluded.

A full copy of the letter can be found here.

The list of signers includes: Pocan, Mark; Dean, Madeleine; Ansari, Yassamin; Barragán, Nanette; Beyer, Donald; Bonamici, Suzanne; Brownley, Julia; Carson, André; Carter, Troy; Casar, Greg; Castro, Joaquin; Chu, Judy; Cohen, Steve; Crockett, Jasmine; DeLauro, Rosa; DeSaulnier, Mark; Dexter, Maxine; Doggett, Lloyd; Escobar, Veronica; Evans, Dwight; Foushee, Valerie; Frost, Maxwell; Garamendi, John; Garcia, Sylvia; Grijalva, Adelita; Hayes, Jahana; Hoyle, Val; Jackson, Jonathan; Jacobs, Sara; Jayapal, Pramila; Johnson, Henry; Kelly, Robin; Khanna, Ro; Lynch, Stephen; McCollum, Betty; McGovern, James; Randall, Emily; Salinas, Andrea; Schakowsky, Janice; Stansbury, Melanie; Thompson, Bennie; Tokuda, Jill; Tonko, Paul; Tran, Derek; Velázquez, Nydia; Waters, Maxine; Watson Coleman, Bonnie

Endorsing Organizations: Center for International Policy Advocacy, Foreign Policy for America, J Street, New Jewish Narrative, and Win Without War

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.