Twelve former United States officials who resigned from the Biden administration over its Gaza policy have issued a public call for potential Democratic candidates in the 2028 presidential race to denounce that policy. The group, identifying themselves as "Gaza Resignees," stated in a joint statement released Wednesday that their resignations, occurring between late 2023 and 2024, were prompted by the U.S. government's "illegal and unconditional support for Israel’s actions in Gaza."

The former officials asserted that "the most basic level of accountability, the most minimal level of consequences, is to ensure that those who have wreaked so much harm from within the highest levels of our Government cannot return to it." They are urging candidates for the 2028 presidential nomination to commit to not hiring any administration official deemed directly responsible for enabling Israel's military actions in Gaza.

Numerous rights groups, experts, scholars, and United Nations inquiries have assessed that Israel's military operations in Gaza constitute genocide. Official figures indicate that since October 2023, Israel's actions have resulted in at least 74,564 Palestinian deaths and 175,770 injuries, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Biden administration, which served from 2021 to 2024, has faced significant criticism and opposition from progressive lawmakers and activist organizations since the conflict escalated. Notable figures like U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have publicly opposed the U.S.'s continued support for Israel, a stance that has persisted following Donald Trump's re-election.

In their statement, the former officials expressed concern that "several 'architects' of Biden’s Gaza policy were now 'whitewashing their own roles in enabling genocide.'" They criticized individuals who, when faced with the opportunity to defend U.S. laws, remained silent or actively worked towards "illegal and wrongful ends in violation of both U.S. and international law." The group highlighted that many of these same individuals are now seeking to re-enter policymaking roles.

The "Gaza Resignees" statement called on Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential race to take a pledge comprising three oaths. These oaths include a commitment to uphold the U.S. Constitution, to pursue the national interest of the United States, and to acknowledge the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict in Gaza. The specific details of the third oath were not fully elaborated in the provided text.

The collective action by these former officials signifies a notable internal dissent within the U.S. foreign policy establishment regarding the approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their public appeal aims to leverage the upcoming presidential election cycle to influence future policy and accountability.

This development underscores the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party and broader U.S. foreign policy circles concerning the ethical and legal implications of U.S. support for allies engaged in military actions that draw widespread international condemnation and accusations of human rights violations. The call for accountability from former insiders adds a new layer to the political discourse surrounding the conflict ahead of the 2028 election.