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FACT BRIEF

Has any member of Congress visited Gaza in the last decade?

By Tom Kertscher
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NO

The last reported visit by a member of Congress to the Gaza Strip was by then-Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, in 2013.

Gaza is controlled by the Palestinian group Hamas, which is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, attacked Israel, a U.S. ally, which in turn declared war.

Gaza borders the Mediterranean Sea between Israel and Egypt and is slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C. It has 2 million residents.

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Madison-area Democrat, tweeted Oct. 9 that no member of Congress has been allowed in to Gaza for the last decade.

Pocan has called on Israel to allow members to enter Gaza to review U.S. aid for Palestinians living there in a “humanitarian crisis.”

NPR reported Oct. 10 that Israel has heavily bombed Gaza and ordered that no electricity, food or fuel be allowed in.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East US Rep. Keith Ellison Calls For Obama-Rouhani Summit
Washington Post Opinion End the Gaza blockade to achieve peace
US Central Intelligence Agency The World Factbook: Gaza Strip
US Department of State Foreign Terrorist Organizations
New York Times Here’s a timeline of Saturday’s attacks and Israel’s retaliation.
US Department of State Major Non-NATO Ally Status
AP News Israel declares war, bombards Gaza and battles to dislodge Hamas fighters after surprise attack
Mark Pocan Tweet
Congressman Mark Pocan Pocan, Kildee, Johnson Call on Israel to Grant Access to Gaza
NPR What is the Gaza Strip? Here's what to know
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.