Blackburn Calls for End to Humanitarian Aid, Ogles Calls for Ban on Palestinian Refugees

Tennessee's elected officials are calling for ending humanitarian aid for Palestinians and barring Palestinian refugees from the United States as Israel prepares for a ground invasion into Gaza.

Statements from Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles came just one week after a Hamas terrorist attack in Israel killed approximately 1,400 people, wounded thousands more and resulted in the kidnapping of more than 100 people. American citizens are among the dead, wounded and kidnapped, and President Joe Biden has pledged "critical assets" to Israel in the form of military aid and increased U.S. military presence, calling the attack "pure, unadulterated evil."

As first reported by Breitbart, Ogles and Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) introduced the Guaranteeing Aggressors Zero Admission Act — or "GAZA Act" — which would prevent anyone with a Palestinian Authority passport from being issued a visa and would prevent Palestinians from entering the U.S. through a humanitarian parole system, which allows for the resettlement of refugees.

"At a time when the threat of terrorism is not only grotesquely on display but being encouraged and justified, it is critical that we do our best to ensure the security of our nation,” Ogles told Breitbart.

The FBI is warning of increased threats of terrorism in the U.S., especially threats against both Jewish and Muslim communities. Republicans have used these threats to increase their criticism of Biden's immigration and national security policies at the U.S.-Mexico border, with Blackburn saying that "an attack on our own soil isn't a matter of if, it's a matter of when."

Blackburn has led calls for the United States to "permanently freeze" $6 billion in Iranian money, which had been frozen in a South Korean bank and became part of the negotiations in a prisoner swap that was completed between the U.S. and Iran in September.

According to NBC News, the Biden administration is "reserving the option to halt" the access to the money, with Reuters reporting that an unnamed U.S. official said, "Iran will not be able to access the funds for the foreseeable future."

"It is perplexing why this administration refuses to issue a formal decision to freeze the $6 billion," Blackburn said in a Tuesday news conference. Fellow U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty joined 23 other senators in introducing the Revoke Iranian Funding Act to permanently block Iran from accessing the money.

“Money is fungible, so Congress must do everything it can to deny all funds to the Iranian regime, which provides money, arms, and technology to the Hamas terrorists,” Hagerty said.

Hamas is backed by Iran, but U.S. officials have not found evidence that Iran was directly involved with the Oct. 7 attack.

Blackburn also criticized the Biden administration after Washington Post reporter Tyler Pager tweeted that Biden's planned trip to Israel was "intentionally not announced until the U.S. received commitments from Netanyahu on a humanitarian package," citing two unnamed U.S. officials.

"Humanitarian aid repeatedly ends up in the hands of Hamas terrorists who use it to build rockets and kill more Israelis," Blackburn continued. "We should immediately halt U.S. aid for the Palestinians.”

Palestinians have received billions of dollars in international humanitarian aid over the years — aid that is critical to civilians who are impacted by a years-long Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza. Some European countries are increasing humanitarian aid packages to Gaza, though distribution of that aid has lessened as Israel prevents entry to and exit from the area where the humanitarian disaster is expected to worsen.

Blackburn and Ogles' statements come after several hundred people held a demonstration in support of Palestinians on Saturday in Nashville. The event took place in conjunction with demonstrations across the nation and world calling for an end to the Israeli siege on Gaza, which has seen air strikes and artillery barrages.

While Israel has killed several members of Hamas' leadership, attacks have also killed at least 2,750 Palestinians with more than 9,700 wounded by the air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Business Insider reports that many of the Palestinian casualties have been children, who make up about half of the population of Gaza, with some Palestinians and others referring to Israel's military response as genocide.

Ogles and Blackburn have been joined by fellow Republicans U.S. Rep. Mark Green and Sen. Hagerty in their pledge to support Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

On Oct. 9, hundreds of Nashvillians gathered at the Gordon Jewish Community Center for a solidarity rally, which saw the attendance of Gov. Bill Lee, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, state Sen. Heidi Campbell, state Rep. Caleb Hemmer and Metro Councilmember Olivia Hill.