Rabia Iclal Turan
May 21, 2025•Update: May 22, 2025
WASHINGTON
Protesters interrupted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s testimony Wednesday before Congress, denouncing his support for Israel amid its brutal offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian American activist Sumer Mobarak shouted at Rubio as he was testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the State Department’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026.
"Murderer Marco, you have taken over a million AIPAC money to kill Palestinian babies," she yelled, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) pro-Israel lobbying group, before being arrested by security officers.
* After being removed from the room and arrested by Capitol Police, she shouted, “Free Palestine! This is for you, Gaza! This is for you!”
A second protester stood up moments later to voice opposition to the Trump administration’s Gaza policy, though his words were inaudible. As security removed the protester, Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean, who questioned Rubio about Gaza, remarked: "Innocent children are dying."
Outside the hearing room, a group of demonstrators chanted: "Rubio lies, people die," while holding signs criticizing US military support for Israel.
Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza crossings closed to food, medical and humanitarian aid, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave. On Monday, it allowed a limited amount of aid into the enclave, which UN officials described as “a drop in the ocean.” Rubio said Tuesday that the US expects humanitarian aid flows into Gaza to increase “over the next few days and weeks,” and that Washington has been engaging with Israeli officials to press for the resumption of aid deliveries.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that 14,000 babies in Gaza could die within two days without immediate access to food and medical care.
The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 53,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children, rejecting international demands for a ceasefire.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
