Sen. Cruz Commends Foreign Relations Committee Markup of Sanctions on Terrorists’ Use of Human Shields

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today applauded the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for voting to report a measure built on his bipartisan bill, the STOP Using Human Shields Act, which would impose sanctions on terrorists who use civilians as human shields, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and their enablers. 

“I commend the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for moving forward with my bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by 44 senators, to hold terrorists accountable for using innocent civilians as human shields,” Sen. Cruz said. “By advancing this legislation, we are taking a stand against terrorist groups, including and especially Hamas and Hezbollah, who have built their military infrastructure and strategy around using human shields as cover for attacks on Israeli civilians. I am hopeful the full Senate will move swiftly to advance this important legislation.” 

The full bill text may be viewed here. The Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act would:

• Require the President to identify and impose sanctions on each foreign person who is a member of or acting on behalf of Hezbollah and Hamas who knowingly orders, controls, or otherwise directs the use of civilians protected as such by the law of war to shield military objectives from attack, as well as each foreign person, agency, or instrumentality of a foreign state that knowingly and materially supports, orders, controls, directs, or otherwise engages in such actions; and
• Give the President authority to identify and impose sanctions on each foreign person who knowingly orders, controls, or otherwise directs the use of civilians protected as such by the law of war to shield military objectives from attack.

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