(The Center Square) – United States Senate Republican colleagues joined together on the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israelis to fully condemn Iran-backed Hamas for its actions, supporting the forever survival of Israel and calling for the safe release of American hostages.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., joined Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, in leading their entire Senate Republican Conference to stand together in a resolution united and oppose the violent antisemitic protests and the Iran-backed Hamas’ use of rape as a weapon of war.
The attack killed 1,200 individuals, including 40 United States citizens, and left 251 as hostages.
“It has been one year since Iran-backed Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, murdered families, raped innocent women, beheaded babies, and took so many hostage – including Americans who we have still not seen to this day,” Scott said in a release. “It is a day that so many will never forget, and not a day goes by that their loved ones wouldn’t do anything to see them again. We must stand with all of those impacted by the heinous attack, continue to stand with their families and support Israel in their fight. We cannot stop fighting until we bring them all home.”
The colleagues also reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself in the resolution.
“Today, people across the world are remembering those lives lost and the hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza,” said Sen. Jim Risch in the same release. “Unfortunately, a year later, Iran-backed groups continue to threaten the safety and security of the Israeli people. Hamas continues to hold innocent hostages in Gaza, while the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon fire rockets and missiles towards Israel. The United States can and should continue to do all it can to support our ally Israel and hold Iran and its proxies accountable for their brutal attacks. This resolution is an important message to the people of Israel that we remain committed to defending them,”
The resolution emphasized the importance of denying Hamas the ability to reconstitute in the area to make sure this never happens again.
The resolution states that after a year of continued and growing hostilities from the Iranian proxies, that Israel has launched operations to “defend its people, eradicate Hamas terrorists, and rescue hostages held in the Gaza Strip.”