On June 4th, 2025, Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Jamie Raskin, Bill Keating, Valerie Foushee, and Becca Balint introduced House Resolution 473 to the U.S. House of Representatives calling for the delivery of needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. The resolution calls for the Trump Administration to use the diplomatic and political tools at its disposal to end the conflict in Gaza, and push for the resumption of humanitarian aid to Palestinians and the return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the outbreak of the Gaza War on October 7th, 2023.

House Resolution 473 comes as deliveries of humanitarian assistance following the reauthorization of deliveries in May have been criticized by international organizations and news agencies as inadequate. Aid distribution centers face escalating difficulties in distributing aid amidst violence around food disbursement centers. In June the U.S.-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) closed distribution sites and the Israeli Defense Forces have blocked roads leading to aid centers. Al Jazeera reported in late May the IDF shot into crowds of people rushing a GHF distribution center in an attempt to access food packages being distributed. Al Jazeera reported that since March there has been a three month blockade on food deliveries into Gaza.

With the continuing difficulties for Palestinian civilians accessing aid and the chronic shortage of food, international organizations have warned of imminent famine. As recently as late March World Food Programme charity bakeries were forced to close in the spring after they ran out of ingredients and fuel. The UN reported in January 2025 10,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition in Gaza, while the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza has almost completely collapsed, endangering the health of adults and children alike.

The resolution aims to end the suffering of both Palestinian and Israeli civilians through pushing the Trump Administration to end the unfolding humanitarian crisis and famine in the Gaza Strip, return the hostages home, and work towards a sustainable end to the war in Gaza. The continuing blockage of aid and corresponding increase in chronic hunger is unacceptable and can be averted, beginning with Congressional pressure on the Trump Administration and actors with the tools to protect Palestinian civilians.

Additional Resources:

BBC: IDF says roads to Gaza aid centres are ‘combat zones’ as sites close for day

Al Jazeera: Visual guide to how the Gaza aid distribution turmoil unfolded