Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at a hearing on Capitol Hill on April 20, 2023.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at a hearing on Capitol Hill on April 20, 2023.
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for restraint in the wake of Hamas's attack on Israel.
  • He says the Jewish state is violating international law by imposing a punishing blockade on Gaza.
  • Sanders, a two-time presidential candidate, is one of the most prominent Jewish politicians in the US.

In one of the most strident criticisms of Israel yet by a prominent American politician, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is accusing Israel of violating international law.

"For many, it is no secret that Gaza has been an open-air prison, with millions of people struggling to secure basic necessities," Sanders said in a statement issued on Wednesday.