Press Releases

Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on the Ongoing Israel-Hamas War

“The October 7^th terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas has triggered an armed conflict in Gaza, leading to immeasurable suffering for Israelis, including the families of the October 7^th attack and the hostages, and Palestinians civilians who remain under threat.

Since that awful day, I have condemned that attack, called for the unconditional safe release of the hostages, urged access to humanitarian aid, and pushed the Biden administration to use its leverage to work for peace, including adherence to international laws to protect civilians. 

While Hamas is clearly to blame for the war, the Biden administration needs to prioritize moving toward a humanitarian ceasefire, the safe return of all the remaining hostages, the secure delivery of humanitarian aid, and the establishment of a path for removing Hamas from power and the creation of a two-state solution.  

Israel has the unequivocal right to defend itself, but I believe Netanyahu’s government has increasingly conflated the conflict between Israel and Hamas with a conflict between Israel and the civilian population of Gaza and Palestinians, leading to the killings of innocent Palestinian civilians, including thousands of children. This has not brought us closer to the release of hostages or eliminating the threat that Hamas poses.

I don’t want to rehash the decades of policies and unilateral actions by Netanyahu-led governments, and others, that have helped get us to this point. Nor do I want us to repeat the same mistakes. Too many lives, Israeli and Palestinian, are in the balance.

Security and lasting peace will be a process that requires all parties to adhere to rules of international law, cooperation and tough compromises between Israel and the Palestinian people, engagement of the international community and, ultimately, a viable two-state solution that allows both peoples to live in security. Lasting peace will not be achieved through bombing campaigns or expanding settlements. Israel is entering the third month of military actions in Gaza and the hostages have not been returned, the threat of Hamas has not been materially degraded, nor has there been movement towards a permanent political solution, despite over 1200 Israeli’s dead, 20,000 Palestinians dead, and up to 80 percent of the population of Gaza displaced and facing starvation, disease, and exposure. 

Israel and the United States are unbreakable allies, so the time has come for both countries to heed the urgent call of the recent United Nations Security Council resolution to work toward de-escalation of hostilities and the restoration of a working truce, so that the long work of peace may resume.”