November 28, 2023 — Washington, DC
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives’ unanimous passage of a bipartisan resolution condemning the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7 and demanding that Hamas immediately release all hostages and allow for their safe return home.
The resolution, introduced by Representatives Haley Stevens (D-MI) and French Hill (R-AR), was adopted on day 53 of the hostages being held in Gaza.
“Since Oct. 7, AJC has been working to secure the safety and release of the more than 240 people – including elderly, disabled, women, and children – who were taken hostage by Hamas, the Iran-backed terror group ruling Gaza,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “We have been grateful to see the release of more than 80 hostages but our advocacy, work to raise awareness, and direct and sustained engagement with families of hostages, cannot and will not end until every single person who was taken on Oct. 7 is reunited with their loved ones.”
As a member of Congress, Deutch chaired the Congressional Task Force on American Hostages and Americans Wrongfully Detained Abroad, now led by Stevens and Hill, who introduced the resolution.
AJC has worked closely with families of hostages to facilitate meetings with community and government leaders in the United States and around the world on the urgent need to bring home every single person kidnapped on October 7.
During visits to Washington, D.C. New York, Miami, and other U.S. cities, AJC has assisted 26 families whose loved ones are held hostage in sharing their stories with decision-makers. These stories have been shared with more than 75 members of Congress, multiple national media outlets, the State Department, high-level administration officials (including the Vice President), diplomats, the ICRC, UN officials, Jewish communities, and other relevant parties.
AJC has also utilized its entire network of 14 overseas posts to mobilize the international community to push for the release of every hostage taken on Oct. 7 – many of whom are dual nationals. AJC has facilitated meetings for family members of hostages in Brussels, Paris, and Rome.
Through AJC’s 25 offices across the U.S, AJC supporters have sent more than 200,000 messages urging Congressional and UN officials to demand the release of all hostages.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 offices across the United States, 14 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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