This statement was initially released as a thread on X.

"When I left Congress to join American Jewish Committee (AJC), I was drawn by the opportunity to spend every moment of every day working to help the Jewish people and Israel. Since October 7, that work has given me, and my colleagues at AJC, the honor of spending an enormous amount of time with so many hostage families, joining them at meetings and pouring our heart and soul into helping them in every way we can. Today's news is an especially shattering blow because we feel we have lost part of our family, and we mourn with their anguished survivors whose bravery has inspired us every day.

"With this tragic news, I can't stop wondering how we can all make #BringThemHomeNow more than a hashtag. Everyone in the civilized world knows that Hamas terrorists took 251 people hostage on October 7, the same day they murdered 1,200 more. They are monsters. They are responsible for ending the ceasefire which existed on October 6 and they intentionally and callously subjected innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza to the ravages of war. From Day 1, Hamas has held in its own hands the ability to end this by returning the hostages still held in captivity for 330 days.

"For months, Israel and the Jewish community have seemed gripped by paralysis on the hostage issue. In Israel, there are shouting matches in government meetings and on the streets. In America and around the world, we demand that Hamas release the hostages, and we demand that the hostages come home now, but we hesitate really pushing leaders in Israel and beyond to make it happen. 'Only Israel can make decisions about its security,' many rightly point out.

"But after the murder of six hostages, including an American and several who may have been included in the first phase of a deal, hashtags into the wilderness aren't enough. So I make this plea to five groups:

1. To President Biden, Vice President Harris, and your Administration: your sympathy for the loss of these six lives is deeply appreciated. Hersh was American. Hamas, responsible for the murder of more than 35 Americans on or after October 7, killed another American. Please show the world your anger, and after these murders, lead an intense international pressure campaign against Hamas and Iran that is needed now and that only you can lead.
2. To Prime Minister Netanyahu and your government: please don't make finalizing a deal a choice between security or hostages. Ensuring Israel's security and bringing home the hostages are not mutually exclusive; they are inextricably linked. Please seize the opportunity to bring the hostages home now. Bring them home AND avenge their murders.
3. To Secretary General Guterres and the United Nations: condemn Hamas for these murders, condemn Hamas for the atrocities of October 7, condemn Hamas for continuing to hold 101 hostages, and call for their unconditional release. Condemn Iran for its role in supporting these evil terrorists. Only then will UN pleas for a deal be taken seriously.
4. To leaders around the world, from prime ministers and presidents to the Pope: acknowledge the horrors of Hamas so that they feel as isolated as they must be.
5. And to every American: remember that one more of our fellow citizens was murdered by Hamas, and seven more Americans remain in captivity, brutally held by Hamas. We should all wear yellow ribbons until all of the hostages return home.

"The time to do all of this is now. We all have a role to play in helping to reach a deal, as abhorrent as it sounds to make a deal with barbaric terrorists. We can all honor the memories of Hersh, Eden, Carmel, Almog, Alex, and Ori, together with every other hostage killed by Hamas, by helping to return the remaining hostages to their loved ones.

"Redeem the remaining captives. Avenge the murders of these innocent victims. Prevent another October 7. We cannot be forced to choose only one.

"Bring them home now."

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