May 14, 2025
Ms. Stevens (for herself and Mr. Hill of Arkansas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Condemning Hamas for its premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, against Israel and demanding that Hamas immediately release all remaining hostages and return them to safety, and for other purposes.
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, the United States-designated and 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, on October 7, 2023, Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and wounded nearly 4,000 people;
Whereas Hamas posted and live streamed footage of executing Israeli civilians, including entire families being slaughtered and horrific acts of violence targeting young children;
Whereas Hamas, and other terrorist organizations, kidnapped more than 250 hostages, comprised of more than 20 nationalities, into Gaza;
Whereas Hamas committed acts of sexual violence on October 7, and returned hostages confirmed they were subjected to acts of sexual violence and psychological torture while held in captivity by Hamas;
Whereas the hostages that were taken include children, women, men, and the elderly;
Whereas 196 hostages, 147 alive, have been released or rescued by the Israel Defense Forces and 58 remain in captivity, including four Americans, Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, Judi Weinstein, and Gad Haggai;
Whereas the United States secured the release of Edan Alexander on May 12th, 2025;
Whereas, upon their release in the early part of 2025, hostages were paraded through Gaza and forced to participate in staged propaganda displays;
Whereas, according to testimonials from released hostages, hostages were held in brutal conditions, given barely any food or water, confined to cages, physically abused, psychologically tormented, and struggled to breathe with minimal airflow while held underground;
Whereas some hostages are known to be in dire need of urgent medical assistance;
Whereas Hamas has threatened to execute hostages and broadcast the executions publicly;
Whereas Hamas has engaged in psychological warfare by forcing hostages to participate in cruel propaganda videos that torment the hostages’ families;
Whereas Hamas is inhumanely holding onto the bodies of deceased hostages as bargaining chips, including American hostages, depriving families of a proper burial and closure;
Whereas Common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions states that the taking of hostages is and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever; and
Whereas the deliberate murder and hostage-taking of innocent civilians are prohibited by international law: Now, therefore, be it
Sec.
That the House of Representatives—
(1)
condemns Hamas in the harshest terms for its premeditated, coordinated, and brutal terrorist attacks on Israel;
(2)
decries Hamas 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 remaining 58 hostages and return them to safety;
(5)
recognizes that the taking of hostages is a violation of international humanitarian law;
(6)
applauds the Administration for securing the release of Edan Alexander and calls on the White House to continue to take all possible steps to secure the release of all the hostages held captive by Hamas; and
(7)
expresses sympathy to the hostages and those wounded, and to their families for this travesty to justice and personal hardship, and mourns those killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and during captivity.