[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 186 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING HAMAS FOR ITS PREMEDITATED, COORDINATED, AND BRUTAL
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON ISRAEL AND DEMANDING THAT HAMAS IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE ALL HOSTAGES AND RETURN THEM TO SAFETY
Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration and that
the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 408.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 408) condemning Hamas for its
premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on
Israel and demanding that Hamas immediately release all
hostages and return them to safety, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the
Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
Mr. KAINE. I ask unanimous consent that the Rosen substitute
amendment to the resolution be agreed to; the resolution, as amended,
be agreed to; the Rosen substitute amendment to the preamble be agreed
to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no
intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 1364) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to
as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the
following: ``That the Senate--
(1) condemns Hamas in the harshest terms for its
premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on
Israel;
(2) decries Hamas's abductions and threats made against
hostages, including threats to use hostages as human shields;
(3) demands that Hamas provide access and medical care to
all hostages;
(4) demands that Hamas immediately release all hostages and
return them to safety;
(5) calls on the United States to lead a global effort to
demand the release of the hostages held captive by Hamas; and
(6) expresses sympathy to the hostages and those wounded,
and to their families, and mourns those killed by Hamas's
terrorist attacks.
The resolution (S. Res. 408), as amended, was agreed to.
The amendment to the preamble (No. 1365) in the nature of a
substitute was agreed to as follows:
(Purpose: To amend the preamble)
Strike the preamble and insert the following:
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror
group, launched premeditated, coordinated, and brutal
terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel, targeting
the Israeli people;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded more than 20
communities bordering the Gaza Strip and attacked innocent
young people attending the Tribe of Nova music festival;
Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has killed more than
1,400 Israelis, along with at least 30 United States
citizens, and wounded nearly 4,000 people;
Whereas reports and videos have surfaced of Hamas executing
Israeli civilians, including entire families being
slaughtered and horrific acts of violence targeting young
children;
Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has fired more than
5,000 rockets into Israel;
Whereas it is estimated that nearly 240 people were
abducted and are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip;
Whereas more than 20 countries have verified their citizens
were either killed or are unaccounted for, with many believed
to be taken hostage by Hamas;
Whereas children and the elderly are among those taken
hostage by Hamas;
Whereas some hostages, including multiple United States
citizens, are known to be in dire need of urgent medical
assistance;
Whereas Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and
broadcast the executions publicly;
Whereas, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a
foreign terrorist organization;
Whereas United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres
condemned the attacks by Hamas in the strongest terms and
unequivocally called for the ``immediate release of all
abducted persons''; and
Whereas the deliberate murder and hostage-taking of
innocent civilians are prohibited by international law: Now,
therefore, be it
The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as
follows:
S. Res. 408
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror
group, launched premeditated, coordinated, and brutal
terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel, targeting
the Israeli people;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded more than 20
communities bordering the Gaza Strip and attacked innocent
young people attending the Tribe of Nova music festival;
Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has killed more than
1,400 Israelis, along with at least 30 United States
citizens, and wounded nearly 4,000 people;
Whereas reports and videos have surfaced of Hamas executing
Israeli civilians, including entire families being
slaughtered and horrific acts of violence targeting young
children;
Whereas, since October 7, 2023, Hamas has fired more than
5,000 rockets into Israel;
Whereas it is estimated that nearly 240 people were
abducted and are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip;
Whereas more than 20 countries have verified their citizens
were either killed or are unaccounted for, with many believed
to be taken hostage by Hamas;
Whereas children and the elderly are among those taken
hostage by Hamas;
Whereas some hostages, including multiple United States
citizens, are known to be in dire need of urgent medical
assistance;
Whereas Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and
broadcast the executions publicly;
Whereas, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a
foreign terrorist organization;
Whereas United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres
condemned the attacks by Hamas in the strongest terms and
unequivocally called for the ``immediate release of all
abducted persons''; and
Whereas the deliberate murder and hostage-taking of
innocent civilians are prohibited by international law: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) condemns Hamas in the harshest terms for its
premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on
Israel;
(2) decries Hamas's abductions and threats made against
hostages, including threats to use hostages as human shields;
(3) demands that Hamas provide access and medical care to
all hostages;
(4) demands that Hamas immediately release all hostages and
return them to safety;
(5) calls on the United States to lead a global effort to
demand the release of the hostages held captive by Hamas; and
(6) expresses sympathy to the hostages and those wounded,
and to their families, and mourns those killed by Hamas's
terrorist attacks.
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