Watch: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Cofounder Removed From US Senate Over Gaza

Ben Cohen, who cofounded Ben & Jerry's ice cream and has been a long-standing progressive activist, spoke to AFP about being removed from a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday. He stated that this action represented the outrage felt by millions of Americans regarding the "massacre" in Gaza.

Cohen, who is 74 years old, was part of a group of demonstrators who surprised Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. when they interrupted his speech regarding his department’s budget plan during the hearing.

Yelling that "Congress funds explosives meant to harm children in Gaza," even as legislators seek to cut funding for Medicaid — the healthcare program for impoverished families — the businessman and philanthropist found himself arrested by Capitol Police officers.

He implored the senators to urge Israel to permit food supplies to reach "hungry children" before being escorted out.

After his release, Cohen stated in an interview that they reached a critical juncture necessitating action,” deeming it “a scandal” that the U.S. sanctioned “$20 billion in bombs” for Israel at a time when domestic social initiatives were being scaled back.

"Most Americans detest what's happening and how our country is using our funds and acting under our names," he stated.

Public sentiment in the US towards Israel has grown more negative, particularly amongst Democrats, as indicated by a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Apart from the expenditures, Cohen characterized the matter as a moral and "spiritual" transgression.

"Endorsing and participating in the killing of tens of thousands of individuals goes against the fundamental values we uphold as humans and represent about our nation," he stated, highlighting that nearly half of America’s discretionary budget funds activities related to warfare.

If you used even half of that funds to improve lives globally, I believe there would be much less conflict.

Using a parental comparison, he further stated: “Imagine approaching a toddler who hits others and telling them, ‘Use your words instead.’ Similarly, even when nations have conflicts, they should find ways to resolve their differences without resorting to violence.”

A longtime critic of Israeli policy, Cohen last year joined prominent Jewish figures in an open letter opposing the pro‑Israel lobby AIPAC. "I understand that I have a higher profile than most people and so I raise my voice, it gets heard. But I need you and others to understand that I speak for millions of people who feel the same way."

The conflict between Israel and Gaza started following the October 7, 2023 assault carried out by Hamas. According to an AFP count derived from official data, this led to the death of 1,218 individuals on the Israeli side, primarily civilians.

Israel's counter-offensive has resulted in at least 52,928 deaths in Gaza, with the majority being civilians, according to statistics provided by the territory’s Hamas-managed health ministry, data that the UN views as credible.

Gaza faces a "critical risk of famine" as the entirety of its population confronts a food emergency following over two months under an Israeli-imposed aid blockade. According to a warning issued this week by a UN-supported food security agency, 22 percent of Gaza’s residents are experiencing a humanitarian “disaster.”