Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said Monday he has "grave concerns" about Israel's potential ground invasion into Gaza amid an ongoing war prompted by Hamas' terror attack on the Jewish State.

In a statement released Monday, Welch said he has "grave concerns about the wisdom and military efficacy" of an Israeli ground invasion in Gaza and that there is "no doubt" an imminent ground invasion would be "catastrophic for innocent Palestinians in Gaza and jeopardize urgent efforts to save hostages."

"Israel has the absolute right to attack Hamas for the brutal, heinous slaughter of more than 1,400 Israelis and the taking of more than 200 hostages," Welch wrote. "But, Israel also has a responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians living in Gaza, including one million children. Already, more than 5,000 Palestinians have died."

More than 5,700 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in Gaza and Israel since Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel in decades on Oct. 7, leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war on the terrorist group.

TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES RELEASED FROM GAZA, FOX NEWS IS TOLD

Israel has indicated it will be conducting a ground invasion into Gaza to attack Hamas, although there is no definitive timetable on when such an attack would begin.

Hamas has taken more than 220 people hostage, but at least four have been released thus far, including two Americans who were freed last week. The Israeli military told The Times of Israel that it is concerned additional hostage releases by Hamas could lead the political leadership to delay a ground invasion or stop it midway.

U.S. and international officials, lawmakers and humanitarian aid groups have expressed concerns about the conditions in Gaza after Israel cut off water and fuel supply to the region following Hamas' initial attack.

"The humanitarian conditions in Gaza are terrible and getting worse every day," Welch said in his statement. "One million Palestinians, including women and children, have been displaced. Most are living in the open—without food, without shelter, fuel, water, or access to medicine. United Nations relief efforts have begun but are unable to meet the extreme needs of the moment."

"A ground invasion would further exacerbate the dire conditions in Gaza," Welch concluded.

BIDEN, OTHER WESTERN LEADERS REAFFIRM ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF, CALL FOR FOR CIVILIAN PROTECTION

Last week, Welch and fellow Democrat Sens. Brian Schatz, of Hawaii, and Chris Van Hollen, of Maryland, wrote a letter to Biden urging that "every effort be made to avoid civilian harm and to allow access to humanitarian aid for those in need," including restoring access to food, electricity, water, fuel and medicine to civilians in Gaza and establishing a humanitarian corridor to allow aid into Gaza and safe passage for U.S. citizens who wish to evacuate the region.

The international community has been working to supply civilians of Gaza with humanitarian aid in the wake of the violence in the region. Egypt, Israel and the United Nations facilitated a 20-truck convoy carrying humanitarian assistance that was delivered to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing last week.

President Biden and five other Western leaders said in a joint statement Sunday that they "welcomed the announcement of the first humanitarian convoys to reach Palestinians in need in Gaza and committed to continue coordinating with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs."

John Kirby said China, Russia, Iran and North Korea present "unique" threats and challenges to U.S. national security when asked about the "new axis of evil" Monday on FOX News. The- coordinator of strategic communications at the National Security Council reacted to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., referring to these nations as such on "The Story." Kirby said China is a power "very much on the rise" and can challenge the "rules-based order."

SEN. TED CRUZ ISSUES CHILLING WARNING ON BIDEN-APPOINTED ‘IRANIAN SPIES’ WORKING IN THE US GOVERNMENT
 

JOHN KIRBY: I think the president would certainly characterize multiple countries, nation-states, here who present unique and pernicious threats and challenges to our national security. Certainly, North Korea is in that group. Obviously, Russia, China certainly present threats and challenges in the Indo-Pacific, but so does Iran. So, I mean, we haven't slapped a name on that group, but those four countries clearly present unique challenges and threats to our ability to continue to lead this rules-based order that's been in place since World War II. 

…

He sees each of them in their own way. And again, I would make sure we include Iran in there as well. Each of them – Iran, Russia, China, North Korea. But there's really four nation-states that present very unique challenges to, not only American leadership on the world stage, but to prosperity and stability and security all around the world. And each of them present their own unique sort of sets of threats. For instance, Russia obviously is a power on the decline, but no less dangerous. They don't have the capacity necessarily to change this rules-based order. China, on the other hand, is a power very much on the rise and does have the capacity and capability to challenge that rules-based order. So you have to take each one, sort of, you know, separately. But that doesn't mean that, as he said, it doesn't mean that we're not obviously concerned about what their capabilities are. 

MCCONNELL CALLS CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN NEW 'AXIS OF EVIL' THAT US MUST DEAL WITH: 'THIS IS AN EMERGENCY'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Sunday deemed China, Russia and Iran the new "axis of evil" amid wars in Ukraine and Israel, while addressing U.S. funding of allies' responses to those duel conflicts.

In a new sit-down interview with "FOX News Sunday" host Shannon Bream, McConnell, the highest-ranking Senate Republican, agreed with fellow Republican Kentuckian Sen. Rand Paul that the $1.5 trillion deficit is "entirely too big." But while Paul remarked last month that the U.S. under the Biden administration was borrowing heavily from China just to send aid to Ukraine, McConnell instead emphasized Sunday that the deficit also expanded during the prior administration under former President Donald Trump. 

"You have to respond to conditions that actually exist that are a threat to the United States. The Iranians are a threat to us as well. And so, this is an emergency. It’s an emergency that we step up and deal with this axis of evil – China, Russia, Iran – because it’s an immediate threat to the United States," McConnell said. 

FOX News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

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