[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 171 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 ISRAEL

  Ms. ROSEN. Madam President, I rise today as a Senator, as a former 
president of a synagogue, as the only Jewish mother in the U.S. Senate, 
as a steadfast supporter of Israel, and as a person who stands firmly 
against hate and terrorism around the world.
  Since October 7, when Hamas launched a horrific and unprovoked 
terrorist attack on the Israeli people, our hearts--well, our hearts 
have been shattered. And over the past week and a half, we have learned 
that 1,300 innocent Israeli civilians and soldiers have been murdered. 
Thousands more have been injured. And countless families are grieving 
for loved ones who have been kidnapped, who at this very moment are 
being held hostage by Hamas--young children, women, seniors, some of 
whom even were Holocaust survivors.
  This past weekend, I met with these families in Israel as part of a 
bipartisan Senate delegation, meeting with parents whose children--
their children, their babies--that is how they called them: My babies. 
They have my babies, a mother said.
  They were ripped away from them by terrorists. Hearing those stories, 
seeing the fear and the pain in their eyes, feeling their heartbreak is 
something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
  And there is one story in particular that I am never going to forget. 
A woman, whose family member was taken from her by Hamas, spoke to us, 
and in speaking about her pain, she said:

       We no longer live in the same world as you.

  We no longer live in the same world as you. For her and her family, 
she said, every moment is an eternity. Just think about that, think 
about what they feel every single day that they are separated from 
their loved ones, not knowing how they are doing, not knowing if they 
are being tortured, if they are in pain, if they are even still alive.
  And with each passing day--each passing day--these families, they 
anxiously await for their loved ones, hopefully, to be returned to 
them. And these stories, these stories demonstrate why I am going to do 
everything in my power to make sure that these families are made whole 
again.
  We know that Hamas is currently holding nearly 200 innocent people, 
including Americans, many of them in dire need of medical attention. So 
we cannot stay silent. We must speak out until every hostage is 
released--every single one of them.
  And that is why last night, I introduced a bipartisan resolution 
condemning Hamas for its brutal, brutal, premeditated attacks on Israel 
and demanding that Hamas immediately release the hostages so they can 
be reunited with their loved ones.
  After what I saw, after what I experienced on the ground, I know we 
need to take decisive, bipartisan, and immediate action to help Israel. 
Let us take action to free the hostages, pass supplemental funding, aid 
to our ally in its greatest time of need, and provide Israel with all 
the support it needs to defend itself from acts of terrorism.
  And at the same time, we need to make sure that Palestinian civilians 
receive humanitarian aid and that it does not ever, ever, end up in the 
hands of Hamas terrorists. Israelis and Palestinians alike have been 
victims of Hamas's terror. We have seen how Hamas uses Palestinian 
civilians as human shields to--which has led to the death of 
countless--countless--innocent residents in Gaza.
  And so we will continue to support Israel's efforts to eliminate 
Hamas once and for all and limit civilian casualties. And as we do 
this, let's use the full force of the Senate, both sides of the aisle, 
to send a clear and decisive message to Hamas.
  Let us all tell those cowards who kidnapped children, who kidnapped 
seniors, that the United States will not stand by and let these crimes 
occur. We will not rest until the hostages are free, until justice is 
delivered.
  So I urge all of my colleagues to support my resolution and send a 
clear--and united message to the world.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent 
that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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