118th CONGRESS 1st Session |
Condemning Hamas for its premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on Israel and demanding that Hamas immediately release all hostages and return them to safety, and for other purposes.
October 17, 2023
Ms. Rosen (for herself, Mr. Young, Mr. Booker, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Romney) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
Condemning Hamas for its premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on Israel and demanding that Hamas immediately release all hostages and return them to safety, and for other purposes.
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror group, launched premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel, targeting the Israeli people;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded more than 20 communities bordering the Gaza Strip and attacked innocent young people attending the Tribe of Nova music festival;
Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has killed more than 1,400 Israelis, along with at least 30 United States citizens, and wounded nearly 4,000 people;
Whereas reports and videos have surfaced of Hamas executing Israeli civilians, including entire families being slaughtered and horrific acts of violence targeting young children;
Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has fired more than 5,000 rockets into Israel;
Whereas it is estimated that nearly 200 people were abducted and are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip;
Whereas more than 20 countries have verified their citizens were either killed or are unaccounted for, with many believed to be taken hostage by Hamas;
Whereas children and the elderly are among those taken hostage by Hamas;
Whereas some hostages, including multiple United States citizens, are known to be in dire need of urgent medical assistance;
Whereas Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and broadcast the executions publicly;
Whereas, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organization;
Whereas President Joe Biden has pledged the full force of the United States Government to help Israel rescue the hostages;
Whereas United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks by Hamas in the strongest terms and unequivocally called for the “immediate release of all abducted persons”; and
Whereas the deliberate murder and hostage-taking of innocent civilians are prohibited by international law: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
(1) condemns Hamas in the harshest terms for its premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on Israel;
(2) decries Hamas’s abductions and threats made against hostages, including threats to use hostages as human shields;
(3) demands that Hamas provide access and medical care to all hostages;
(4) demands that Hamas immediately release all hostages and return them to safety;
(5) calls on the United States to lead a global campaign to demand the release of the hostages held captive by Hamas; and
(6) expresses sympathy to the hostages and those wounded, and to their families, and mourns those killed by Hamas’s terrorist attacks.