WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism and a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday spoke at an Appropriations hearing on the Biden Administration’s national security supplemental request with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Murphy highlighted the importance of remembering the horrific details of Hamas’ terror attack against Israel on October 7th: “I think it's important that we be absolutely clear the nature of this brutal terrorist attack. I share with you the real worry that in this country and around the world, the memory of October 7th, just a few weeks in our rearview mirror, has disappeared. It's incredibly important for us to remind the world about how our nation was changed after September 11th. And now Israel has been changed as well by this, and how we have an obligation to stand up for them.”

On helping Israel avoid the mistakes the U.S. has made in our counterterrorism campaigns, Murphy said: “[O]ne of the lessons that we've learned in our counterterrorism operations is that not done well, you can end up creating more terrorists than you kill. In particular, when you are careless about civilian casualties, those civilian casualties become terrorist fuel. They become bulletin board recruiting material for terrorist groups. And so, there's a moral imperative to reduce civilian casualties, but there is also a strategic imperative. And so, I want to ask you whether you have a worry that the nature of the Israeli ground operation and the number of civilians that have been killed and will be killed could end up strengthening Hamas or other affiliated anti-Israel terrorist groups in the long run.”

Murphy raised the urgency of Congress passing funding to support both Israel and Ukraine: “I think the reason why many of us are so worried about splitting Ukraine aid and Israel aid is because there is an urgency, a real urgency in Ukraine right now. And we know that this place has trouble doing one difficult thing, never mind splitting it into two or three. I know that we're careful about talking about the urgency because we don't want to cause panic or damage morale in Ukraine, but I do think we have to be honest with the American people and with this Senate about the consequences of not funding Ukraine.”

In a question to Secretary Blinken, Murphy asked how the U.S. can ensure we can help get fuel into Gaza and prevent its diversion to Hamas, Blinken said: “We're working urgently on that. I'll say two things very quickly about it first, Hamas has its own supply stockpile of fuel. If it cared a whit about the people of Gaza, it would make sure itself that it used that fuel to have the hospitals be able to operate, have the incubators stay turned on, etc. But, of course it doesn't. And we have an obligation to do everything we can, if Hamas is not going to do it, to look out for people in Gaza. So, we are working on a mechanism that can get fuel to where it's needed, particularly hospitals, bakeries, desalination plants.”

A full transcript of Murphy, Austin, and Blinken’s exchange can be found below:  

Murphy: “Look, Secretary Austin, we know you've been working around the clock to protect our friends in Israel and in Ukraine. Thank you for your work. Thanks for being here.

Secretary Blinken, I want to thank you. At the outset, you described in really horrific detail what happened on October 7th. I think it's important that we be absolutely clear the nature of this brutal terrorist attack. And I share with you, the real worry that in this country and around the world the memory of October 7th, just a few weeks in our rearview mirror, has disappeared. It's incredibly important for us to remind the world about how our nation was changed after September 11th, and now Israel has been changed as well by this, and how we have an obligation to stand up for them.”

“Secretary Austin, I wanted to talk to you, as Senator Schatz did, about the lessons that we've learned in our counterterrorism operations. I note, a story from this weekend in the Washington Post, entitled ‘U.S. Urges Israel Against Gaza Ground Invasion, Pushes Surgical Campaign.’ I don't want to ask you about the confidential communications you've had with your Israeli counterparts, but one of the lessons that we've learned in our counterterrorism operations is that not done well, you can end up creating more terrorists than you kill. In particular, when you are careless about civilian casualties, those civilian casualties become terrorist fuel. They become bulletin board recruiting material for terrorist groups. And so, there's a moral imperative to reduce civilian casualties, but there is also a strategic imperative. And so, I want to ask you whether you have a worry that the nature of the Israeli ground operation and the number of civilians that have been killed and will be killed could end up strengthening Hamas or other affiliated anti-Israel terrorist groups in the long run.”

AUSTIN: “I agree with everything that you said, Senator, and that is a key lesson that we learned in the fights that we fought over the last 20 years or so. The things that you do on a battlefield, if you're not thoughtful about them, they could create a resistance to your effort that lasts for generations. And so there is an operational and strategic imperative to make sure that we're doing the right things as we outline our objectives and prescribe our techniques about how we're going to go about this. So, we've had those conversations for exactly the reasons that you mentioned.”

MURPHY: “Secretary Austin, in turning to Ukraine, I think the reason why many of us are so worried about splitting Ukraine aid and Israel aid is because there is an urgency, a real urgency in Ukraine right now. And we know that this place has trouble doing one difficult thing, never mind splitting it into two or three. I know that we're careful about talking about the urgency because we don't want to cause panic or damage morale in Ukraine, but I do think we have to be honest with the American people and with this Senate about the consequences of not funding Ukraine.

“Admiral Rob Bauer of the Netherlands, who you know well, said that the bottom of the barrel is now visible. And so I just want to ask you a pointed question about ammunition. We are really getting to a point very soon where there are not bullets in the guns, and we need to be serious with our colleagues about the consequences for the rank and file soldiers in Ukraine if we don't get this assistance soon. The need is dire, isn't it?”

AUSTIN: “It absolutely is, Senator. And again, this funds artillery munitions, small arm munitions, you name it, and they desperately need a constant supply of warfighting capability in order to be successful. We would like to see them continue their operations through the winter. I think that’s an imperative. They can't do that if we've caused them to pause because there's a pause on the security assistance that we provide.”

MURPHY: “30 seconds, Secretary Blinken, fuel into Gaza. Do we have a process to deliver fuel into Gaza that assures that it doesn't get diverted to Hamas?”

BLINKEN: “We're working urgently on that. I'll say two things very quickly about it first, Hamas has its own supply stockpile of fuel. If it cared a whit about the people of Gaza, it would make sure itself that it used that fuel to have the hospitals be able to operate, have the incubators stay turned on, etc. But, of course it doesn't. And we have an obligation to do everything we can, if Hamas is not going to do it, to look out for people in Gaza. So, we are working on a mechanism that can get fuel to where it's needed, particularly hospitals, bakeries, desalination plants.”

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