US Sen. Angus King (I-ME) speaks on the Senate floor at the US Capitol. Photo: Screenshot

US Sen. Angus King (I-ME) declared on Monday that he will no longer vote to support any form of US aid to Israel unless there is a dramatic reversal in Israeli policy toward Gaza, citing what he described as deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the beleaguered enclave.

“I cannot defend the indefensible,” King said in a statement. He characterized Israel’s conduct during its war against the Palestinian terrorist group in Gaza as “an affront to human decency,” pointing in part to food shortages.

King, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, emphasized that while he supports Israel’s right to defend itself following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel, the humanitarian consequences have crossed a moral threshold that cannot be justified by the Oct. 7 atrocities.

“My litmus test will be simple: no aid of any kind as long as there are starving children in Gaza due to the action or inaction of the Israeli government,” King said.

In recent days, photos and reports of starved and malnourished children in Gaza have reignited international pressure for a ceasefire and opening of supply routes. Meanwhile, UN agencies and NGOs warned that Gaza’s residents face severe food insecurity, and the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claims that nearly 150 people have died from malnutrition in the war-torn enclave.

The Israeli government has facilitated the entry of thousands of aid trucks into Gaza, with officials condemning international aid agencies for their alleged failure to distribute supplies, which have largely been stalled at border crossings.

Meanwhile, Israel on Sunday announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropped supplies into the enclave.

However, US Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) has called for a halt to military aid to Israel unless it allows a ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian assistance. Maine’s other delegation members, Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Rep. Jared Golden (D), remain supporters of continued US assistance to Israel.

Last week, Israel and the United States both recalled their negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar, with US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff saying that Hamas has not been acting in good faith and “clearly shows a lack of desire” to reach a deal

King previously voted with other Senate progressives to restrict arms sales to Israel, though he later opposed certain measures citing potential disruption to ceasefire negotiations. Still, he continues to call for accountability under US law, including the Foreign Assistance Act, which prohibits aid to governments that impede humanitarian assistance.

On Monday, King also echoed concerns raised by other Democratic senators about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The GHF operates independently from UN-backed mechanisms, which Hamas has sought to reinstate, arguing that these frameworks are more neutral. Israeli and American officials have rejected those calls, saying Hamas previously exploited UN-run systems to siphon aid for its war effort. The UN has denied those allegations while expressing concerns that the GHF’s approach forces civilians to risk their safety by traveling long distances across active conflict zones to reach food distribution points.

Since the GHF launched operations in late May, there have been reports of Palestinians being shot near distribution sites. In specific cases, Israel has acknowledged targeting what it believed to be armed Hamas operatives using civilians as cover.

Last month, the GHF said that, on the night of June 11, several of its aid workers were killed when Hamas gunmen attacked a bus transporting local staffers.

The bus attack followed days of threats from Hamas directed at the foundation and its workers.