[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5325-S5326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 Israel

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, later this afternoon, Israeli Prime 
Minister Netanyahu will address a joint meeting of Congress.
  It has been 291 days since Israel suffered the deadliest day for Jews 
since the Holocaust at the hands of evil Hamas terrorists. The pain of 
October 7 remains fresh because, to this day, at least 116 Israeli 
hostages remain in captivity, including women, teenagers, the elderly; 
including American citizens; including New Yorkers--my constituents.
  Yesterday afternoon, I met with some of the families of the hostages, 
where I reaffirmed a solemn promise I made months ago and each day 
since: I am doing everything in my power to ensure their loved ones 
come home safe and sound. Today is yet another opportunity to fight for 
just that.
  Even though I disagree with many of Bibi Netanyahu's policies, I will 
attend the speech because the United States' relationship with Israel 
remains ironclad and transcends any Prime Minister or President, and we 
must do all we can to get our hostages home.
  I told the families of the hostages I will continue supporting the 
Biden administration and all negotiators as they push Hamas to agree to 
a deal that will release the hostages and bring relief to Gaza. The 
negotiators have agreed on a framework, and now is the time to close 
the deal.
  Later today, I will also meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu during a 
bipartisan, bicameral meeting of the congressional leadership. I 
promised the families I would relay their message directly with the 
Prime Minister: Do all you can to bring the hostages home now.
  Many of the families I met with yesterday were the very same families 
I met with during my trip to Israel just a few days after the October 7 
attack

[[Page S5326]]

where their loved ones were captured. I can only imagine what the last 
8 months have been like for these courageous souls, not knowing if 
their loves ones are even alive.
  I was particularly glad to meet with some of the families from New 
York, including the family of Itay Chen, who was murdered on October 7 
and whose body is still being held hostage. I also met with the family 
of Omer Neutra, who remains in captivity and whose family will be 
attending the speech as my guests.
  Omer was serving as a tank commander near Gaza when he was taken, but 
back home he had his whole life ahead of him. He is a student athlete, 
a Knicks fan, the captain of his school's basketball team, and was set 
to attend Binghamton University, one of the finest universities in the 
country, after his service. And there are many, many just like Omer 
whom we still need to bring home.
  There is simply no time to waste with a deal within reach. Yesterday, 
another hostage family member told me the tragic story of her family. 
Her mother and brother were both taken captive by Hamas on October 7. 
Today, her mother is home, released in the November hostage deal, but 
her brother is dead, murdered in captivity. As she told me, ``the 
difference in fates of her mother and her brother lies at the 
negotiating table.''
  The survival of the hostages depends on closing a deal now. The Prime 
Minister must make bringing the hostages home a top priority, and I 
promised the families that is what I will tell him when we meet this 
afternoon.