Lindsey Graham Tours Gaza Crossing: ‘Aid Must Feed Civilians, Not Empower Hamas’

At Kerem Shalom, Senator Lindsey Graham praised Israel’s humanitarian coordination, rejected claims of “deliberate starvation,” and urged bipartisan backing for Gaza aid initiatives.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) visited the Kerem Shalom crossing on Thursday, receiving an on-the-ground briefing about the mechanisms Israel uses to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza while preventing supplies from being diverted to Hamas.

“I visited the Kerem Shalom crossing and was briefed regarding the system in place to clear trucks to provide aid to Gaza,” Graham said after his tour. “The goal is to feed the people of Gaza and not to empower Hamas.”

He acknowledged the challenges in monitoring shipments, noting that banned items such as cigarettes have occasionally slipped through, feeding Hamas’s black-market profits. “To some extent this is inevitable as all are operating under difficult circumstances,” he said.

The Senator rejected accusations that Israel deliberately withholds aid from Gazans. “I have never bought into the narrative that Israel is intentionally starving the people of Gaza as a tool of war. I blame Hamas for all the problems associated with the attack of October 7 and its aftermath,” Graham stressed.

He also expressed confidence in Israel’s cooperation with international relief organizations: “I do expect Israel to work with international organizations and I believe that they are.”

During his visit, Graham toured a Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) facility, a U.S.-supported initiative delivering food packages to civilians. He praised GHF and its partners, including Samaritan’s Purse, the faith-based charity led by Reverend Franklin Graham.

“I was impressed by what I saw,” the Senator said. “Samaritan’s Purse is assisting GHF with food packages. I also support the World Food Program and many other organizations who are trying to provide humanitarian aid.”

Graham reminded reporters that GHF had bipartisan origins, initiated under the Trump Administration, and called for its continued support. “I found the accusations made against GHF not to be credible and I appreciate all they have done under difficult circumstances,” he concluded.

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