Kennedy, Ernst introduce resolution condemning Hamas attack on one year anniversary of Oct. 7

MADISONVILLE, La. - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and 47 colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning Hamas for its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Hamas took the lives of nearly 1,200 people, including more than 40 U.S. citizens, and abducted at least 251 individuals as hostages.

"The world will never forget how Hamas terrorists slaughtered roughly 1,200 people in Israel-including Americans-in a single day. One year later, U.S. citizens remain in captivity in Gaza, suffering at the hands of evil men with black hearts. Pres. Biden and Vice Pres. Harris have the duty and obligation to fully condemn Iran's proxy militants, support Israel's right to defend itself and bring American hostages home quickly," said Kennedy.

Last month, Hamas took the life of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Hamas is also reportedly holding hostage Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, and the bodies of three other Americans, Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein and Gadi Haggai, in Gaza.

"This time last year, I woke up in the Middle East to the unbearable news that Israel was under attack by Iran-backed terrorists and Americans were being killed and taken hostage. I immediately traveled into Israel to show that our nation's friendship is unwavering, in good times and bad. Regardless of whether I have been in Jerusalem, Washington, or Iowa, I have worked around the clock to hold the White House accountable to its 'ironclad' commitment, bring our hostages home, and cut off the source of terrorism in Tehran. One year since that day, as Israel remains under attack on all fronts, Senate Republicans stand united with our greatest ally in the Middle East," said Ernst.

The senators' resolution:

• Condemns Iran-backed Hamas for its brutal attacks on Israel, for killing and taking hostage U.S. citizens, for using rape as a weapon of war and for its inhumane treatment, torture and killing of hostages.

• Condemns the destructive and antisemitic protests in which protestors damaged property, tore down flags and burned and replaced them with Hamas flags while threatening Jewish Americans.

• Supports an outcome that will ensure the survival of Israel, destroy Hamas's ability to reconstitute any leadership role in the region and safely release and return all American hostages.

Background:

• In Sept., Kennedy issued a statement against the Palestinian Authority's anti-Israel resolution at the U.N. General Assembly.

• In Aug., Kennedy urged the Biden-Harris administration to reverse its pause on weapons transfers to Israel.

• In July, Kennedy issued a statement after attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress.

• In May, Kennedy helped introduce the Israel Security Assistance Support Act to condemn the Biden-Harris administration's pause on arms transfers to Israel and require the administration to reverse its pause.

• In May, Kennedy helped introduced a resolution condemning the Biden-Harris administration's decision to halt the shipment of American-made ammunition and weapons to Israel.

• In May, Kennedy also helped introduce a bipartisan resolution to reject the International Criminal Court prosecutor's application for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

• In April, Kennedy urged the Biden-Harris Justice Department to protect students from antisemitic mobs on their university campuses.

• In Dec. 2023, Kennedy spoke on the Senate floor, urging the Biden-Harris administration to continue to support Israel until it successfully destroys Hamas.

The full resolution is available here.

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