Scoop: Kelly eyes U.S. emergency food stockpile for Gaza
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Sen. Mark Kelly speaks to members of the media at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 1. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is in discussions to move tens of millions of emergency food packages sitting in U.S. warehouses to Gaza and other needy areas, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Democrats are mobilizing to try to address the humanitarian void they say the Israeli government is leaving behind in Gaza, where starvation is worsening.
- Kelly told Axios this week that over 87 million packages of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to treat severe malnutrition are sitting in warehouses in Texas, Rhode Island and Georgia.
- The Arizona Democrat has been in regular communication with World Food Programme (WFP) executive director Cindy McCain about how to get the food — some of which has already been purchased by the U.S. government — to the organization.
- "Kids should not be starving to death anywhere in the world, and Israel has got to do a better job of getting this aid in," Kelly said.
The big picture: Israel's decision four months ago to block all aid into Gaza has had devastating effects on vulnerable civilians, according to aid groups.
- Kelly also said the Trump administration's cuts to USAID, which have the WFP facing a 40% funding drop, mean "more kids starve."
- United Nations agencies this week warned Gaza faces a severe risk of famine, with food consumption levels reaching the worst levels since the conflict began.
- And at least 16 children under the age of 5 have died from hunger-related causes since mid-July, according to the UN.
What to watch: President Trump is separately expected to approve a new Gaza humanitarian aid plan Friday after his envoy Steve Witkoff visits the enclave and briefs him about the situation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
Between the lines: Kelly this week tasted one of the RUTF packages, telling Axios they are "basically peanut butter, with a lot of sugar and a lot of oil in it."
- His team has been in contact with two nutrition companies that work with the State Department to determine how much food is available and if it has been cleared for release, Axios was told.
- Kelly said he has been in contact with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the issue, as well as Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
- "There is some sense that we're supposed to hold some back for other problems that might pop up, so I am trying to sort it out" with Rubio, Kelly said.
The WFP and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
