[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 30, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H300-H305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ONGOING HOSTAGE CRISIS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Self). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 9, 2023, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman
Schultz) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority
leader.
General Leave
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lead my
colleagues in a Special Order hour. Tonight, I am honored to be joined
by my colleagues to continue to shed light and bring broader awareness
to the ongoing hostage crisis that plagues the Israeli and Jewish
communities around the world.
On October 7, Hamas launched a horrific attack against Israeli
civilians, resulting in the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
Recently, we marked 100 days since Hamas' gruesome attack. That is more
than 100 days of inconceivable suffering for families who had their
loved ones ripped away from them; more than 100 days consumed by
nonstop panic, dread, and uncertainty. The pain, shock, and anger
burning in the hearts of the Jewish people will never dull.
I know my own heart has felt like it was encased in lead ever since
that fateful day, but it couldn't compare to the anguish and heartbreak
of the families whose loved ones are still held captive by terrorists.
The last time my colleagues and I came together like this to
highlight the hostages Hamas continues to cruelly hold hostage in Gaza,
I fervently hoped the new year's arrival would make this advocacy no
longer necessary. Our work, advocacy, and pressure has been relentless
that Hamas release the hostages and bring theirs and their families'
nightmare to an end.
Tragically, however, the nightmare continues.
It is sadly fitting that, since marking 100 days since October 7, we
also commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Jewish
communities around the world gathered to honor the memory of the 6
million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust and the countless
millions of others who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their
collaborators.
We look back because we can never forget, Mr. Speaker. We cannot
avert our eyes from the horror that humanity is capable of inflicting.
We look back not only to memorialize the victims, but to learn from the
darkness of the past.
We also look back to not allow humanity to move forward without
addressing the root causes that led to the horrific persecution of the
Jewish people, which is the main reason we are here tonight--to
dissuade those who forget or avert their eyes from the horrors that
Hamas unleashed.
I recently returned to Israel and the region with our bipartisan,
bicameral congressional delegation that was in the region on October 7,
with the sole purpose of galvanizing the multinational efforts to
secure the release of each and every last hostage.
In Israel, we met with families who are desperate for any shred of
information which might result in their loved ones' release. We visited
the kibbutz, Nir Oz, and saw the devastation Hamas wrought. We saw the
remains of house after house that Hamas set on fire with the sole
purpose of murdering the families inside. I saw firsthand Hamas'
maniacal dedication to the destruction and eradication of Israel and
the Jewish people.
My message is clear. We will not let Hamas succeed. The United States
will continue to stand with Israel, and the Jewish people will live on
as we have in the face of oppression and tyranny for millennia.
Tonight, my colleagues and I will speak about those who remain held
captive in Gaza, show their beautiful faces, and remind all of us not
to forget these victims who are still suffering under terrorist
cruelty.
During our last Special Order, I had the honor to speak about the
Bibas family: Parents Shiri and Yarden and their boys, Ariel and Kfir.
At 9 months old, Kfir was the youngest hostage taken. On January 18,
Kfir turned 1. If Hamas never attacked Israel and never kidnapped women
and children, he would have celebrated his first birthday with his
family in his community. Instead, his family is left reeling, not
knowing.
This cruelty is unimaginable. The Bibas family and sweet Kfir remain
in my heart.
Tonight, I will be honoring Agam Berger, who was taken captive on
October 7 shortly after calling her father telling him she heard shots
fired. I had the opportunity to meet her father, Shlomi, recently.
Seeing the pain in his eyes was unbearable. I can tell in speaking
with Shlomi that Agam comes from a very tight-knit family. She has
three siblings, including her twin sister.
Mr. Speaker, as the mother of twins, I imagined the panic I would
feel and, as a Jewish mother of three young adult children, I saw my
own children when listening to his story.
Agam is a selfless young woman, volunteering with adults and children
who have special needs and learning disabilities. She is the courageous
young woman we all hope our children will grow up to be. Her family and
friends proudly speak about her extraordinary musical talent.
You can see her here with her violin. Agam played the violin since
she was in the fourth grade.
Mr. Speaker, the next time I am in Israel, I look forward to hearing
Agam play her violin and listening to her immense talent, which her
father played for us by video.
I want Shlomi and Agam's whole family to know that this Chamber
stands with them, and we will continue to fight for Agam's release.
Mr. Speaker, I am joined by a number of Members tonight who all want
to stand in solidarity with Israel and press for the release of the
hostages.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Landsman).
Mr. LANDSMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman
Schultz for doing this Special Order again tonight. This is the second,
maybe third time she has done this to ensure that we do everything we
can to tell these stories and to convince Hamas and those who fund
Hamas to release every single hostage.
I am here to speak about Tsahi Idan. He was kidnapped on the 7th.
Just after his daughter was killed, he was taken from his wife and his
other child. They heard the sirens. They went into their safe room.
Before long, a neighbor, who had been forced by Hamas, forced their way
into the bomb shelter.
Imagine being in there with him. His teenage daughter throws herself
against the door to protect herself and her family--her dad, her
sister, her mom. She was immediately shot and killed.
He sees this, and then is taken, and he has been held hostage for 115
days.
I go back to Israel in a couple weeks, and it is entirely possible
that I will get to spend time with him if Hamas releases the hostages.
Like him, I am a father. I have a teenage daughter. I hate this war.
I want this war to end. I join all of us who have called for a cease-
fire. We can't end this war until all of the hostages are home.
I know that others will stand up tonight and talk about the lives,
stories of others being held hostage. Over a
[[Page H301]]
hundred still remain in Gaza, including a 1-year-old. It cannot be
overlooked by all those pushing for peace and a cease-fire that the
quickest way to end this war is for Hamas to release these hostages, to
get every single one of these hostages back home to their families and
to their communities.
I hope that is something we can all agree on.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
relentless support and advocacy for the release of the hostages and his
support for Israel.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our
former majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Hoyer
has been a stalwart supporter of the State of Israel for his entire
tenure in the United States Congress.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
I rise today, as I have before, to speak up for a brave American,
Itay Chen. It has been 115 days since Hamas took Itay hostage while he
was serving in the IDF. He is only 19 years of age. This Friday is his
20th birthday.
Itay may be young, but I know from his dad, Ruby, that he is already
someone of great character, courage, conviction and compassion for
others. Crucially, as his dad tells me, he is New York tough. I have no
doubt that Itay has the strength, resilience, and determination to
endure any hardship, no matter how grueling, no matter how long. That
is the type of person Itay is, but he should not have to.
{time} 1715
He shouldn't have to sit in a Hamas covert cave for 115 days awaiting
rescue. He shouldn't have to wonder whether he will see home again. He
shouldn't have to display the courage that I know he is showing this
very moment.
Instead, Mr. Speaker, he ought to be at home right now watching
tonight's NBA game and rooting for the Lakers, much to his dad's
chagrin. He ought to be horsing around with his brothers, Roy and Alon.
He ought to be celebrating his birthday with them and their parents,
Ruby and Hagit.
Sadly, he is not. Behind every single face we see on these posters
tonight are families and friends who have done everything they possibly
can to bring their loved ones home. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, Ruby has come
to Capitol Hill almost every week since October 7.
Mr. Speaker, these families are doing everything they can, but their
Congress is not. It has been 102 days since President Biden requested
emergency supplemental aid for Israel, as well as Ukraine. For 102
days, this Congress has failed to deliver.
We are not powerless, but we are lacking in action. We are Members of
Congress of the United States of America. We are privileged to be in a
position where we can do more than say prayers and offer condolences,
although that is important.
This Congress needs to take action to put Israel in the strongest
position possible to bring these hostages home safely--every one of
them--and to prevent this tragedy from ever occurring again.
For the sake of Itay, his family, and all of the other hostages and
their families, we must act. We must show an ounce of the resolve they
display every moment this nightmare continues.
Mr. Speaker, I will keep coming to this floor until we do. I will not
stop until I see Itay in his family's embrace and all those hostages
returned home safely.
Let us act as we can.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
stalwart leadership and support for the Jewish people and the State of
Israel.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens)
who is also the co-chair of the American Hostage Task Force.
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of Romi
Gonen. She is still held hostage in Gaza.
She is a bright, young 23-year-old woman who on that fateful Saturday
morning, 10:58 a.m. to be exact, was at a peace concert with her
friends out in the desert, and then she found herself in an
unimaginable circumstance fleeing in a car with her friends being shot
at trying to escape Hamas terrorists.
The car was later found, and it was empty. Romi's incredible mother,
Meirav, describes her daughter as a strong and happy type, and she was
a former Scouts counselor. She was someone who loved being with
children.
So as we stand here telling Romi's story from the floor of the House
of Representatives, the concentration of democracy in the United States
of America, we recognize that what happened on October 7 was an attack
on all of us. It was an attack on free and civil society. It was an
attack on humanity.
The fact that for 115 days Romi and hundreds of others of all ages
and demographics and different ethnicities have been held hostage by
those who do not seek to keep their own people safe is a reality that
we have to reckon with because it is fear that they have sought to put
into all of us.
I am calling for Romi's release along with all of the hostages
release. I continue to support the Biden administration's efforts
through diplomacy and through negotiation to return these individuals.
I also am using the authority vested in me as a Member of the United
States House of Representatives to call for the passage of aid, to call
for the funding of aid so that we can see Romi reunite with her family
and so that we can see this war come to an end.
We are heartbroken over the death and destruction that Hamas
terrorists have brought on to the beautiful and incredible country of
Israel and, frankly, to their own people.
No one was calling for war but Hamas on October 7.
We have to stand by democracy as the United States of America. We
have to stand by individuals and people like Romi, her family, and the
others.
It is a true and profound honor to be here this evening with my
colleague, someone whom I admire so deeply, Congresswoman Debbie
Wasserman Schultz. Like our majority leader emeritus, Steny Hoyer, I
will continue to come to this floor to advocate, to push, and to fight
for the return of Romi and the far too many others who continue to be
held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
incredible support, leadership, advocacy, and poignancy in which she
has been a supporter of the State of Israel in her hour of need.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat),
who is the fellow co-chair of the bipartisan Latino-Jewish Caucus.
Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for
yielding to me.
As co-chair of the bipartisan Latino-Jewish Caucus, I rise today to
tell an important story. There are many hostages. Over 100 hostages
have been held for 115 days from all walks of life. Children, a 1-year-
old child, seniors, women, and family members are being held hostage. I
rise today to tell the story of a 34-year-old Israeli-Colombian hostage
by the name of Elkana Bohbot, whose family I met this past December.
Elkana is not just an Israeli-Colombian. He is the beloved sibling of
Jacob and Uriel Bohbot, the loving husband of Geraldyn Bohbot, and the
dad of a 3-year-old.
Before October 7, Elkana had just opened up an ice cream shop in Tel
Aviv and was looking forward to taking his 3-year-old son there for the
first time.
Just imagine that, Mr. Speaker: a dad opening up an ice cream store
and just waiting to see how his 3-year-old son will react when he first
tastes that chocolate, that vanilla, or that strawberry ice cream.
I think we could identify with the magic of that moment. Yet now,
every passing day for Elkana and his family are a waking nightmare. The
last time Elkana's family saw him was in a Hamas video that was taken
on October 7 alongside other hostages, and, in it, Elkana was severely
injured.
Elkana has been forced to survive each passing day in the depths of
Hamas tunnels without ventilation or fresh air fighting through asthma
attacks because he is asthmatic without his medication.
At 115 days, Mr. Speaker, Elkana's life is hanging in the balance.
Every day is a day of hope for all of us, and we will not give up on
our actions to bring Elkana Bohbot home, as well as the other hostages.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
[[Page H302]]
New York--where I am originally from--for his incredible leadership and
work to bring the Hispanic and Jewish communities together so that we
can continue to fight oppression against both of our communities.
Mr. Speaker, yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms.
Manning). She is someone who has become a dear friend of mine. She sits
on the Foreign Affairs Committee and has been a national Jewish
community leader.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend, Congresswoman
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and all she has done in this time of such
tragedy for the Jewish people.
Mr. Speaker, on October 7, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel by land,
air, and sea. They slaughtered over 1,200 innocent civilians,
brutalized and raped women and girls, and took more than 240 hostages,
including infants, children, the elderly, and even Holocaust survivors.
After long negotiations, many of those hostages were released with
devastating trauma, weight loss, and emotional and physical injuries.
That is why I am so worried about the remaining hostages.
It has been over 100 days of mourning, of pain, and uncertainty. For
more than 100 days these people have been trapped in despicable
underground tunnels with no fresh air, no sunlight, little water,
little food, no comforts, and certainly no medical care.
Knowing all this is simply unbearable for the hostage families. I
have been meeting with the families of the hostages for months, and
their stories have been heartbreaking. Their stories have haunted all
of us.
Today, I want to share the story of Carmel Gat and her family. Carmel
Gat is a 39-year-old occupational therapist who lived in Tel Aviv. She
was visiting her parents at Kibbutz Be'eri when Hamas attacked. First,
they killed her mother, Kinneret. Then they grabbed Carmel and carted
her away. Next, her brother, Alon; her sister-in-law, Yarden; and their
3-year-old daughter, Geffen, were all grabbed by Hamas and thrown into
a vehicle.
Just before the vehicle crossed into Gaza, Alon and Yarden, with
Geffen in her arms, jumped out of the vehicle and decided to run to
safety. Yarden realized that her husband could run faster than she. She
said to her husband: You take Geffen, because you can escape.
She sacrificed herself, and Yarden was taken hostage. Thankfully,
during the first round of hostage releases, Yarden was released. I
watched her reunion with her family with real joy.
Yet, the joy was tempered because Carmel was not released. She was
not released because she is not a mother. She has now been held captive
for nearly 4 months. Before her capture, Carmel was planning on
starting her master's degree studies in October. She is a lover of
music and of traveling. She is someone who meets new people wherever
she goes.
Carmel is a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and a friend to so many. My
heart breaks for her family and her loved ones who do not know where
she is, whether she is safe or whether she has been beaten or violated.
As a beautiful young woman she is certainly at risk, and I am deeply
concerned for Carmel's safety.
I am deeply concerned for all the women who are being held hostage by
Hamas because we have seen more and more reports of what Hamas did to
women and girls on October 7. They brutalized women. They raped them,
they beat them, and they mutilated them. We have heard from those who
were released that we need to get those women released as soon as
possible because Hamas uses sexual violence as a weapon of war.
We must bring Carmel and every hostage home. I will keep using my
voice in Congress to call for their safe return and to demand that the
International Red Cross be allowed to visit the hostages in Gaza,
administer aid to all of them, and report on their condition. We must
hold Hamas accountable for their war crimes.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
powerful words and for her leadership as the co-chair of the bipartisan
task force to combat anti-Semitism in Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey) who is
a member of the Black-Jewish Caucus in Congress and a leader in the
Fort Worth area in his district in bringing the Black and Jewish
communities together.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, say to my dear
friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), that I
just really admire her perseverance in making sure this stays in the
forefront.
It is important that we continue to talk about this because this
atrocity that took place on October 7 can't be forgotten. One of the
most important and critical pieces of what happened on October 7 that
can't be forgotten is, obviously, the hostages that have been taken
captive.
{time} 1730
It has been 4 months since twin brothers Ziv and Gali Berman were
brutally taken from their home to be held in Gaza.
Mr. Speaker, it has been nearly 4 months, and as a dad, I cannot
imagine the pain and anguish that Ziv and Gali's mother, father, and
their loved ones feel each day when they wake up knowing that those
twin boys aren't at home.
I say twin boys, but they are both 26 years old. We all remember what
it was like when you were 26 years old because you are still really in
the infancy of your adulthood. You want to go and hang out with
friends. You want to go to concerts, go out and eat, celebrate
momentous occasions with your close friends and family.
Sadly, they are not able to do that because their lives were
shattered and their family's lives were shattered when they were taken
hostage.
I know that this particular subject about what happened, about the
horrendous tragedy that happened on October 7 has been divisive for
this country, but I will say that regardless of how you feel about what
is happening, we should all be able to come together. We should all be
able to come together and say enough is enough. All of the hostages
need to be returned now. All of the hostages need to be returned today,
regardless of how you feel.
That is something that each and every one of us should be able to
come together to say and be resolute about that loved ones need to be
reunited with their families.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, my dear friend,
for putting this together. I am going to keep talking about this. I
hope each and every Member of Congress, regardless if you are in the
progressive caucus, the New Dems, if you are a Republican, or
conservative, whatever it may happen to be that we continue to talk
about this.
I am going to because it is important. We cannot stop until these 26-
year-old twins are home, and each and every person that was taken
hostage on October 7 are returned to their families.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas
for his compassion and his leadership, and for helping us to keep the
plight of these hostages in the public eye. As a mother of 24-year-old
twins, I know exactly what he means in the way he described that.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lois
Frankel), who has been a mentor and friend of mine for literally my
entire adult life.
Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman,
Representative Wasserman Schultz, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I make these remarks with a very heavy heart. As we have
heard today, we mark 115 days since the darkest day for the Jewish
people since the Holocaust.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and mercilessly took
the lives of 1,200 people. They tortured, they maimed, they raped
people, and seized over 200 hostages.
Among the hostages, as you look at the photograph behind me, are
Daniela Gilboa and Agam Berger, two vibrant young women, 19 and 20
years old, respectively. Agam, a skilled violinist since fourth grade,
and Daniela, a singer with a captivating voice. Teenagers full of life
with dreams and aspirations, and they have been held captive almost 4
months, most likely in the dreadful underground tunnels in Gaza where
air
[[Page H303]]
and food is scarce and abuse is abundant.
Recently, I had the privilege of meeting with the parents of Agam and
Daniela. Their hearts are heavy, burdened by a living nightmare and the
constant terror of the exploitation they dread their daughters are
experiencing.
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, over 100 hostages, including Daniela and
Agam, remain separated from their loved ones and it is terrifying to
even think of the fear, the brutality, and the perverse mistreatment
they are experiencing every single day. It has been our solemn
responsibility to share their stories and it is even a greater
responsibility to bring them home.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
leadership in highlighting these two young women, especially given her
role as the chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider),
the distinguished member of the Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs
Committees, and a leader in the Jewish community in his home district.
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, it has been 116 days since the attack,
with more than 130 hostages, including six Americans, who are still not
home.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues to call for the
immediate, unconditional release of the more than 130 hostages being
held by Hamas in Gaza.
Among them is an American citizen with deep connections to my
district north of Chicago, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Hersh was last seen on October 7, kidnapped, wounded, and being taken
at gunpoint to Gaza. His left arm had been severed just below the
elbow, blown off by a grenade thrown into a bus stop where Hersh had
sought refuge with approximately 30 others fleeing the carnage at the
Re'im music festival.
Most in the shelter were murdered. Hersh, bloodied and dazed, was
kidnapped. Hersh is the son of Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, both
originally from Chicago. Hersh has family and friends across my
district. Hersh's aunt, Abby Polin, is a dear, personal friend of more
than 30 years. His cousins went to school with my kids. His
grandmother, Leah, has been an inspiration and a pillar of strength.
I join all of Hersh's family and friends in praying with all my heart
and with all my might for Hersh's safety, for his health, and for his
safe return.
Hersh, a vibrant 23-year-old, should be home with his parents and his
two sisters, planning for his future. He should be traveling on a
planned trip he had that was scheduled to leave last month.
In fact, El Al Airlines has held his reserved seat, praying for his
return.
We must do everything we can to bring pressure on Hamas to release
Hersh and all the other hostages. We need the U.N. and the
International Community of the Red Cross to demand Hamas immediately
provide access to the hostages and ensure their unconditional release.
We need Qatar and Egypt and others to do more, to do whatever is
necessary to bring the hostages home. I refuse to let the hostages be
forgotten.
Tonight, with all my colleagues here, we stand on this House floor
imploring Congress to do more, to do everything we can to work to save
the hostages. To Hersh's parents, Rachel and Jon, to the parents,
grandparents, kids, brothers, sisters, the loved ones of every hostage,
know we stand with you. We feel your pain. We hear your pleas. We share
your hope. Bring them home. Bring them home now.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
relentless advocacy and for his partnership in continuing to help make
sure we can keep a spotlight on the plight of these hostages who have
been kept in captivity for 115 days now.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms.
Schrier), a dear friend and the first pediatrician ever elected to the
United States Congress.
Ms. SCHRIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Wasserman Schultz for her
incredible leadership at this very hard time.
Mr. Speaker, on October 7, we witnessed the most horrific, gruesome,
terrifying attack on Israel in its history.
Thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and specifically
targeted innocent civilians, including women and children. Twelve
hundred Israelis were murdered, and women were specifically and
systematically brutalized.
Now, 115 days later, 132 hostages are still being held by Hamas.
Officials believe 18 have died. The others remain in horrific
conditions and have not received required medical checks from the
International Red Cross.
I have met with the families of several hostages, and they need our
voices and our advocacy to help bring their loved ones home.
Here are two: Naama Levy is 19 years old and is active in a peace
movement bringing young Israeli and Palestinian people together seeking
peace. Doron Steinbrecher is 30 years old, a veterinary nurse who was
kidnapped from her home.
Just imagine if your daughter, sister, or partner were held hostage
by Hamas terrorists for 115 days and the torture of not knowing whether
they are alive.
Consider for a moment what it must be like to live a nightmare every
day, wondering what horrors they might be enduring. Released hostages
have reported sexual violence and rape, drugging, beating, branding,
and deplorable conditions. Hamas has not allowed the ICRC to assess the
condition of the hostages and has not provided proof of life.
We in Congress, we in this country, need to do everything in our
power to keep these hostages and their families in our hearts to tell
their stories and to bring them home now.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
leadership and appreciate her participation tonight in continuing to
shine a spotlight on the captivity of the hostages.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), a
dear friend who has also been relentless in continuing our efforts to
make sure that we can apply the pressure necessary to bring the
hostages home.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for scheduling this
Special Order.
Mr. Speaker, I am almost without the ability to speak because of the
horrors that have occurred on October 7 with the killing of people and
the taking of 240 hostages, 110 believed to be alive and still in
captivity by Hamas, is unthinkable.
Unthinkable to normal human beings, but thinkable to Hamas whose
purpose in their charter and statements that they have made as recently
as a week ago from leaders is to erase Israel from the map and to kill
all Jews.
The war is horrific, and I have many people who I represent who have
been supporters of mine for years who are upset that I have not called
for a cease-fire. I share with them grief at looking at the rubble in
Gaza and the people killed. The children that have been killed. The
children that have lost their limbs. The children who will never
recover from this trauma, but as Bret Stephens said so well in The New
York Times this past week: Every single death is the result of Hamas
because they broke the cease-fire on October 7. This is the fifth time
they have gone to war on Israel and they continue to have the same
purpose--to eradicate Israel and to kill all Jews. That is Israel's
neighbor.
Bob Dylan one time wrote a song called ``Neighborhood Bully,''
Israel, but Bob said you would be a bully too if those were your
neighbors. That is what they have got right now.
Mr. Speaker, Noa Argamani was put on a motorcycle and taken out of
Israel. She reached up and said, ``Please, don't kill me.'' She is
still there.
Mr. Polin, who Representative Schneider talked about, lost his arm.
Who knows what condition he is in now if he is alive?
{time} 1745
There are efforts to get the children, the elderly, and the women
released with a 6-week or 2-month cease-fire that the United States has
participated in, and President Biden is largely responsible for,
working with Qatar and Egypt. Hopefully, they will be successful. They
should also include the injured, and they should also include the
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people who have been killed so they can be reunited with their families
and buried.
These are horrific conditions, unfortunately, that are transpiring.
I think it was President Trump who first started referring to the
people who tried to take this Chamber, who came in here saying, ``Hang
Mike Pence,'' ``Hang Nancy Pelosi,'' and take Members of this Congress
as hostages or beat them. One of our Members in particular has also
referred to those who have gone to prison, criminals, as hostages. It
is a disgrace to these people whose pictures are behind me who are
hostages. Those people aren't, and anybody who says it should be
ashamed.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Cohen particularly
for highlighting the abomination of an idea that a terrorist entity
should be allowed to live on the precipice of a nation and remain a
threat, as Hamas continues to do.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman), a
new Member who has been a stalwart leader ever since October 7 and
beyond, and we appreciate his participation tonight.
Mr. GOLDMAN of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida,
who has been such a terrific mentor and model for so many of us. I also
thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing us this Special Order hour to
highlight the horrific conditions, 116 days in captivity, that more
than 100 hostages are enduring.
I stand before you today to highlight the tragic case of Noa
Argamani, a 25-year-old Israeli woman who many know from a video posted
by Hamas on October 7 of her being abducted by terrorists and taken
away on a motorcycle, screaming ``Don't kill me.''
This is a still photo from that video. You can see the absolute
terror in her eyes as she is being kidnapped into Gaza by armed
terrorists who had brutally murdered, raped, and tortured her friends
and fellow Israeli citizens.
This is a photo of her before October 7--a beautiful smile, full of
life, hope, and a bright future ahead.
Noa should have been released with the other female civilians--one of
the categories that Hamas had agreed to release--who were released
during the temporary cease-fire 2 months ago, but she was not, and we
know why. Hamas broke the agreement with Israel because they did not
want Noa to describe the rape and violence that she endured in
captivity. We know from other hostages that were released at that time
that the same awful sexual violence that occurred with horrific
brutality on October 7 continued in the dark, damp, cramped tunnels in
Gaza, and that was 61 days ago. Two months.
At least as of 16 days ago, we know that Noa is still alive. We know
because Hamas released a psychological terror video of her sitting with
two other hostages, but we know nothing about her condition because
Hamas refuses to allow the International Red Cross into Gaza to check
on the medical conditions of the hostages.
That is required by international law, but somehow for many the fact
that Hamas is a designated terrorist organization that has violated
countless international laws--and cease-fires, I might add--seems to
give them a pass at adhering to international law about medical checks
and wellness visits.
Since when do we allow terrorist organizations to dictate how
international law operates?
What makes this even worse is that we haven't heard anything from
Qatar nor Egypt nor Turkiye nor any other country with influence on
Hamas to push and prod them to allow international medical
professionals to access the innocent civilian hostages, even though we
know from those who have come out that their conditions violate a host
of international laws.
I have met with families and mothers of some of the young women who
remain in captivity. They, of course, are devastated, worried, and
distraught about their daughters. Do you know what keeps them up at
night? They assume that their daughters are pregnant with babies of
Hamas terrorists. Imagine that being a mother's final thought before
she falls asleep and her first thought when she wakes up.
Noa's mother, Liora, has an additional heartbreaking cause for
urgency. You see, Liora is currently battling terminal stage 4 brain
cancer. She is desperately hoping that she can see her daughter before
she passes away.
This tragic story hits me especially hard because my father died of
brain cancer 34 years ago, when I was just 13 years old. I remember to
this day the last time I got to see my father before he died. I still
feel lucky to have been able to say good-bye.
Noa deserves to have that same memory, too, and Liora deserves to die
with the peace of mind that Noa is out of captivity and hopefully on
her way to healing.
This is an excerpt from a letter that Liora Argamani, Noa's mother,
sent to President Biden. She wrote, I am terminally ill with stage 4
brain cancer. All that is running through my mind before I part ways
with my family forever is the chance to hug my daughter, my only child,
one last time.
We cannot wait any longer. Noa will soon lose her mother. While every
single additional day that Noa spends in captivity could be her last,
it could also be her mother's last.
The international community must pressure Hamas to immediately cease
their illegal kidnapping of more than 100 innocent civilians who are
being tortured, raped, and horrifically treated.
Israel has reportedly agreed with the United States, Qatar, and Egypt
to make significant concessions to Hamas to release the hostages. It is
now incumbent upon Hamas to agree to do so, and for that to happen, the
international community must apply pressure on Hamas to agree to the
proposed cease-fire and release the hostages.
We must bring them home. We must bring them all home now. Time is
running out.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New
York. That is a searing account of the absolute importance that there
is in ensuring that we bring the hostages home immediately to their
families.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud and thankful to be joined by a woman who
makes our Special Order hour bipartisan, although I know there are far
more Members on both sides of the aisle who share our sentiments. She
is a woman who has become a dear friend, especially because of the
experiences we have shared together unexpectedly over the last several
months. The gentlewoman from Iowa and I were part of a bipartisan,
bicameral delegation that was in the region on October 7, and returned
at the end of December. She is a veteran of the United States Army of
24 years and an ophthalmologist. I appreciate her advocacy and passion
about making sure that we bring these hostages home.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-
Meeks).
Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, on the morning of the Jewish holiday
of Simchat Torah on October 7, 2023, as Representative Wasserman
Schultz said, we happened to be in the Middle East at that time, when
Hamas terrorists launched unimaginable and barbaric attacks on Israeli
citizens by air, land, and sea. These attacks resulted in the death of
over 1,300 Israeli citizens, including 30 Americans, and over 250
individuals were taken hostage.
Following these attacks, I introduced House Resolution 777 to condemn
these horrendous attacks and demanded the immediate release of all
hostages in Gaza. However, 4 months later, at least 130 hostages are
still being held by Hamas, including American citizens.
Earlier this year, I was proud to join Senator Joni Ernst on a
bipartisan and bicameral congressional delegation to Egypt, Israel,
Qatar, and Bahrain to advocate for the American and Israeli citizens
still held captive by Hamas. While in the region, we heard from family
members, released hostages, and leaders in the region about the
escalation of crimes committed by Hamas against women.
It was heartbreaking to meet with these members of the kibbutz Nir Oz
community and family members of Judith Weinstein and Gad Haggai,
American citizens who were killed by Hamas whose bodies still remain in
Gaza. Additionally, we heard the frustrations and living nightmares of
the families of Americans still held hostage: Edan Alexander, Hersh
Goldberg-Polin, Itay Chen, Keith Siegel, Omer Neutra, and
[[Page H305]]
Sagui Dekel-Chen, and to hear of two children, one who had recently
turned 1 and the other 4 years old, who are still being held in
captivity.
While I am grateful for the 100 hostages who have been released so
far, it is essential that the Biden administration do everything in
their power to demand Hamas release the rest of the hostages. While
Hamas released women, children, and grandparents, Israel was required
to release three times as many not innocent civilians, convicted
terrorists. Examples include charges of opening fire on Jewish
civilians, stabbings, and arson.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Florida, Congresswoman
Wasserman Schultz, for hosting this important Special Order, and I will
continue calling for the safe return of all hostages held by Hamas and
to deter the concerning rise of anti-Semitism in the United States.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
solidarity. I thank the Members, Jewish and non-Jewish, Democratic and
Republican, for joining us tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I close by reminding the American public, the hostages
that they heard about this evening have been held captive in Hamas'
captivity for over 115 days. Hamas must end this crisis today by
releasing the hostages and allowing them to be reunited with their
families.
I hope every American understands that Israel is fighting to rescue
her people and to protect her citizens from a terrorist organization
that is dedicated to destroying the State of Israel and carrying out
the October 7 attack against Israel and the Jewish people over and over
again.
The United States will not let Hamas succeed. The Jewish people will
not let Hamas succeed. Any people with a shred of humanity would not
let Hamas succeed.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I in this Chamber will continue to
stand with Israel and fight for the release of those held captive, of
those being brutally abused and sexually violated. We will continue to
make sure we shine our white-hot spotlights on the plight of these
hostages until they are safely home with their families and until Hamas
is eradicated as a threat on Israel's doorstep or to anyone worldwide.
``Am Yisrael Chai.'' ``The people of Israel live.'' Madam Speaker, I
yield back the balance of my time.
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