Five Palestinian families filed a lawsuit against the US State Department on Tuesday, alleging that the agency, under Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has violated US human rights laws by continuing to provide military support to Israel during its war in Gaza. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
The plaintiffs accuse the State Department of bypassing the Leahy Laws, which prohibit US military assistance to individuals or units accused of gross human rights violations unless they have been held accountable. The lawsuit highlights allegations from South Africa at the World Court and Amnesty International that Israel is committing genocide and war crimes in Gaza, claims that Israel has firmly denied.
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“The State Department’s calculated failure to apply the Leahy Law is particularly shocking in the face of the unprecedented escalation of Israeli gross violations of human rights since the Gaza war erupted,” the lawsuit asserts.
The legal action comes amid growing criticism from human rights groups over Washington’s unwavering support for Israel. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, has killed over 45,000 people in Gaza, displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, and sparked a hunger crisis, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The lead plaintiff, a Gaza teacher, alleges he has been displaced seven times during the conflict and has lost 20 family members.