Israeli authorities report that up to 199 total hostages, including Americans, are being held in Gaza by Hamas
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and more than 30 other Members of Congress in urging President Biden to urgently prioritize rescuing American hostages that were taken by Hamas during its attacks on Israel and to support Israel’s efforts to wipe out Hamas.
“Hamas has already killed 30 Americans and likely injured many more,” the Members of Congress wrote. The terrorists responsible for these atrocities hide behind human shields while they threaten to livestream the execution of hostages. Hamas has also reportedly demanded the mass release of prisoners in exchange for freeing its hostages and could use the hostages to push for a ceasefire. With several U.S. citizens still missing in the aftermath of the terror group’s brutal attack, we urge you to continue putting your full attention on the freeing of American hostages. Every day must be treated with a sense of urgency.”
The full letter can be viewed here.
Other signers are U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Katie Britt (R-AL), John Boozman (R-AR), John Barrasso (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jim Risch (R-ID), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), James Lankford (R-OK), Mark Warner (D-VA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Budd (R-NC), and U.S. Representatives Mary Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and Darrell Issa (R-CA).
BACKGROUND
Senator Tuberville has been one of the most vocal supporters of Israel in the United States Senate. Below please find a few of the Senator’s statements in support of Israel since they were attacked by Hamas.
Statement from Senator Tuberville, October 12, 2023:
“Israel is our closest ally and I firmly stand with them. Joe Biden is attempting to deflect the facts that he lifted sanctions against Iran and handed over $6 billion and Iranian prisoners to get Americans back, all while Iran was plotting with Hamas to go into Israel with the mission to obtain more hostages. Now 27 Americans are dead and others are held hostage. My first priority is getting our Americans back, then Hamas needs to be wiped off the map. The White House using these atrocities and trying to spin my words to put more political pressure on me to lift military holds is despicable. But it’s par for the course for this administration.”
Excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s recent TV interviews about Israel can be found below.
TO CHRIS SALCEDO ON NEWSMAX:
“Hamas has got to be totally wiped out. We’ve got to go after them. They killed American citizens. They’ve got hostages. We don’t take that – we go after it. And hopefully Joe Biden will strengthen up here and make some good decisions. He hasn’t made any good foreign relations decisions probably in our lifetime.”
TO LARRY KUDLOW ON FOX BUSINESS NETWORK:
“Well, this a different type of war, Larry. These are a bunch of animals. They don’t care whether they die or not. We’ve got hostages there. We’ve lost thirty Americans. […] Unfortunately, Joe Biden, the empty suit that he’s in, […] gave them all their money back and dropped the sanctions. They were almost broke when President Trump was in office. Now they’re worth hundreds of billions of dollars. […] The problem obviously is Hamas, who’s a bunch of animals, and Iran. But the problem here is we have no leadership from Joe Biden.”
TO THE KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE SHOW:
“This is a disaster, what’s going on. And it’s all caused by Joe Biden. Iran was almost bankrupt when Joe Biden took office. President Trump put all the sanctions on them – they couldn’t sell their oil. We were producing oil and people were buying from us all over the world. […] But now since they closed it down over here, Iran is making billions of dollars after Joe Biden took the sanctions off. And it’s just enhanced all these terrorists. Joe Biden is directly responsible along with a few other people for what’s happening over in Israel right now..”
TO ADRIENNE BANKERT ON NEWSNATION:
“We need to get our hostages out. We need to take care of business. I’m 120% behind Israel. We need to eradicate Hamas. This is awful what has happened over there, and hopefully our military’s ready…”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
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