CNN —Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday defended accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people and advocating for cuts to US military aid until humanitarian relief flows freely in Gaza.
Her decision to use the term genocide, as she did during a floor speech on Friday in the House chamber, was “taken with extraordinary gravity,” she said.
But the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza has “crossed the threshold of intent,” Ocasio-Cortez told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”“As we speak, in this moment, 1.1 million innocents in Gaza are at famine’s door,” Ocasio-Cortez said in her speech Friday.
“What we are seeing here, I think, with a forced famine is beyond our ability to deny or explain away,” Ocasio-Cortez told Tapper.
Ocasio-Cortez told Tapper on Sunday that she disagrees with the Israeli government restricting the flow of food and aid until Hamas frees the hostages and lays down arms.
Persons:
Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Israel, ” Ocasio, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ”, “, Tapper, Biden, Kamala Harris, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ” Harris ’, Jake Sullivan, Yoav Gallant, Barak Ravid, Sullivan, Gallant, CNN’s Becky Anderson
Organizations:
CNN — Rep, Hamas, Union, New York Democrat, Gaza Ministry, Health, Integrated, Sunday, Israeli, White, CNN
Locations:
Alexandria, Gaza, Israel, “ State, Rafah, Ocasio, unjustifiable