Sherman, Gallagher Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Counter Use of Human Shields

Washington, DC - Congressmen Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced the Strengthening Tools to Counter the Use of Human Shields Act that enhances sanctions enforcement and implementation against terrorist organizations that use innocent civilians as human shields - a scheme Hamas terrorists are employing during their horrendous attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023.

"This past weekend, we all bore witness to Hamas terrorists murdering over 900 Israelis and committing the most unspeakable atrocities imaginable: hostage-taking, rape, beheading, even the murder of infants. It's never been clearer that these terrorists have no respect for the sanctity of human life, whether it be Israeli or Palestinian. Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other groups that cynically exploit civilians as human shields must face the strongest possible response for this heinous act," Sherman said. "This important legislation will strengthen Congress's role in ensuring that our available tools to combat this horrific practice are used effectively. I'm proud to join Rep. Gallagher in making certain that the United States will hold terrorists accountable for their use of this disgraceful tactic," said Congressman Brad Sherman.

"The horrific Hamas attacks on Israel demonstrate that groups like Hamas, Hizballah, and the Palestine Islamic Jihad have been dedicated to destroying Israel and combating American interests in the Middle East. Of all the malign activities of these groups, few are more reprehensible or dangerous than their use of civilians as human shields," said Rep. Gallagher. "By reforming the Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act and giving Congress a greater role in ensuring these critical sanctions are implemented, this bipartisan legislation sends a clear signal that the United States will severely punish this behavior."

This legislation will:

-Extend the sunset for this sanctioning authority from 2023 to 2030.

-Give the chairman and ranking member of appropriate congressional committees the power to request that the President determine whether a foreign person meets the criteria for sanctions and provide a written justification for the President's decision to impose or not impose sanctions.

-Require that mandatory sanctions be imposed on Palestine Islamic Jihad leaders who use human shields. Currently, this requirement only applies to Hamas and Hizballah.

-Require a report from the Department of Defense (DoD) on lessons learned from addressing the use of human shields in the past and how it is integrating these lessons into DoD guidance and working with allies to counter the use of human shields.

Read the bill text HERE

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