(PatriotNewsDaily.com) – Bipartisan House lawmakers approved an amendment prohibiting the State Department from relying on the Gaza Health Ministry’s military casualty figures.
On Thursday, Republican and Democrat lawmakers approved an amendment to the State Department’s appropriation bill prohibiting the agency from relying on casualty figures on Israel’s military operation in Gaza from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Military.
Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz (FL) introduced the bill, which passed 269-144, as 62 Democrats joined 207 Republican lawmakers.
The bill was co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Joe Wilson (SC), Carol Miller (WV), and Mike Lawler (NY), as well as Democrat Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ).
Except for Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), vice chair of the Democratic caucus, every House Democrat leader opposed the amendment.
Only two Republican Representatives opposed the bill — Matthew Rosendale (R-MT) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ).
Since Hamas’ October 7th terrorist attack, which prompted Israel’s military operation response, the Gaza Health Ministry has been the primary source of the number of Palestinian casualties.
According to several media outlets, the Gaza Health Ministry, which is the only official entity tracking the death toll in Gaza, has placed the figure of Palestinian casualties at above 37,000.
However, since publishing its figures, the Health Ministry hasn’t distinguished how many of those are civilian or military casualties.
Reports from The Hill show that casualties among women and children, which accounted for two-thirds in October, have decreased to about half in April.
Israel’s government has also criticized the Gaza Health Ministry for allegedly inflating figures to push a political agenda.
Speaking on the House floor, Moskowitz acknowledged that civilian deaths in Gaza were tragic but noted the Gaza Health Ministry was, in fact, the “Hamas Ministry of Health,” adding that Hamas’s goal was to “sell propaganda to the American people,” and the world, and cannot be considered a credible source.
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