Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released the following statement urging the Trump administration to apply diplomatic pressure on Hamas to release all remaining hostages and to urge Israel to allow the immediate delivery of food and supplies to Gaza amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis:
“More than a year and a half after Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel, it continues to hold and abuse Israeli hostages including five Israeli-Americans. This is unacceptable, as is the increasingly dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“Hamas has never acted in the interests of the two million Palestinians living in Gaza and continues using civilians as pawns. It must never be allowed to govern or threaten Israel again.
“I have heard, with increasing alarm, from families of hostages and the Palestinian community as the crisis continues. The families of the hostages deserve to be reunited with their loved ones after the unspeakable trauma they have suffered. Palestinians are also suffering under extremely limited access to food, water, and medical supplies. No humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza since March 2 and the lives of tens of thousands of civilians, including children, are under urgent risk of death.
“I urge the Trump Administration to use all of its considerable influence in advance of the President’s travel to the region this month to secure the release of all remaining hostages, and to bring about the immediate restoration of food, medicine and other needed supplies to avert a greater humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”
Background:
Senator Schiff has repeatedly reinforced his support for Israel, both in the days immediately following the October 7th attack, and working to secure critical security assistance in the months since. Schiff has also supported calls to provide strong humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people to ease their suffering and help the people in Gaza rebuild. He has continued to urge for the return of hostages, a durable peace, and removing Hamas from a governing position in Gaza.
Schiff voted against the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel over the human rights crisis facing Palestinians in Gaza. Last year, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Schiff voted for the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which allocated over $26 billion to support Israel and provide humanitarian relief to Gaza.
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