(MENAFN) Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday demanded an immediate halt to U.S. military assistance to the Israeli government, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration of committing severe abuses in the Gaza Strip.

He condemned what he described as disproportionate military actions during the ongoing conflict, now entering its second year.

While acknowledging that Israel holds the "absolute right" to defend its territory and pursue the Palestinian resistance faction Hamas, Sanders insisted that the Israeli leadership went far beyond targeting militants.

"Tragically, however, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his extremist government did not simply go to war against Hamas terrorists.

Instead, they unleashed an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people. The horrors of that war cannot be overstated," he said.

According to Sanders, the toll on the civilian population has been devastating. Out of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, he noted that more than 67,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with nearly 170,000 more wounded during the course of the war.

He further pointed to Israel’s continued blockade as a driving force behind widespread famine and escalating humanitarian collapse.

Sanders also voiced his endorsement of the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s decision to pursue legal action against Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes.

"The United States can no longer be complicit in this horrific tragedy. We must stop providing military support to the Netanyahu government," Sanders declared.

He concluded by urging a sustainable truce that would end the bloodshed, secure the release of remaining hostages, enable large-scale humanitarian relief to enter Gaza, and pave the way for Palestinians to achieve statehood.

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