Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza "is worse than" what happened in Dresden, Germany during World War II.
"If I use the word Dresden Germany to you, you think about the horrific destruction during World War II of that city. What is going on in Gaza now in three months, is worse than what took place in Dresden over a two year period. This is a catastrophe," Sanders said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."
Sanders was referring to the 1945 bombings of Dresden led by U.S. and British forces at the time that left about 25,000 people dead. The Vermont senator has been very outspoken about the situation in Gaza, reiterating Sunday that Israel does not have a right to kill civilians in its war against militant group Hamas.
"So my view has been from the beginning Israel has a right to respond to this horrific terrorist attack from come up. But you do not have a right to go to war against an entire people, women and children and the United States Congress has got to act because a lot of this destruction is being done with military weapons supplied by the United States of America," Sanders said.
Sanders plans to bring a resolution to the Senate floor this week underneath the Foreign Assistance Act, which would direct the State Department to look into potential human rights violations caused by Israel in Gaza.
"It says that if an American military assistance is given to any country, Saudi Arabia, Israel, any other country, it has got to be used consistent with human rights, international human rights standards and American law," Sanders said about the Foreign Assistance Act.
"In my opinion, that is certainly not the case. We have a horrific humanitarian catastrophe. We cannot turn our backs on it. Congress has got to start moving to protect children in Palestine."
Sanders also conceded that he likely does not have the 51 votes needed to pass his resolution, noting that it is the "first time" this sort of resolution has been brought to the floor for a vote.
