Democrat senators tell White House any further assistance to Israel 'must be consistent with our in

More than a dozen Democratic senators visited the White House this week, where they discussed the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the impact it has had on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and what steps the Biden administration would take after the temporary cease-fire expires. 

U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Jack Reed, D-R.I., were joined by over a dozen of their Democratic colleagues for a meeting with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday. The named lawmakers then released a statement on Wednesday detailing what was discussed. 

According to the statement, the senators condemned the terror attacks by Hamas, expressed support for funds to immediately replenish Israel’s defensive systems, and tasked the White House with detailing its plan to support Israel in a way that advances U.S. interests. 

"We continue to support additional assistance to Israel in the aftermath of the brutal Hamas attacks – but we are all in agreement that this assistance must be consistent with our interests and values and used in a manner that adheres to international humanitarian law, the law of armed conflict, and U.S. law," the Democrats said.

They added: "We need to find a better path toward helping Israel achieve legitimate military and security objectives. U.S. assistance has never come in the form of a blank check – regardless of the recipient."