Two South Florida lawmakers, who are among the co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, issued a joint statement on Tuesday demanding that Hamas militants release the remaining 48 hostages still in captivity since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in southern Israel.
U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, R-Miami, and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, said in a joint statement they remain "hopeful that ongoing negotiations will result in an agreement that frees the remaining hostages, living and deceased, and ends the Hamas terror threat."
“As we solemnly mark the second year since the horrifying and evil Hamas terrorist attack against Israelis, we reflect on the lives of the hostages still held in captivity, the families who continue waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, and the memory of the 1,200 lives lost on October 7th, 2023," they said. "We remain united in demanding the immediate release of the 48 hostages who remain in captivity today.”
Tuesday marked two years since the attack plunged the Middle East region into a devastating war, while Israel and Hamas hold indirect talks in Egypt.
The lawmakers also expressed deep concerns "with the growing rise of antisemitism affecting Jewish communities here in the United States and around the world.”
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The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. Most have since been released in ceasefires or other deals.
The ensuing war has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and left the territory in ruins. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says around half of the deaths were women and children.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by a U.N. body, have said Israel’s offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide — an accusation Israel vehemently denies.
President Donald Trump's peace plan has received wide international backing and raised hopes for an end to the devastating war. Many uncertainties remain, including the disarmament of Hamas — a key Israeli demand — and the future governance of Gaza.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
