Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today released the following statement on the two-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack in Israel:
"Today, we remember that two years ago, Hamas, a terrorist organization, stormed into Israel, murdering some 1,200 innocent men, women and children, taking hundreds of hostages, and engaging in horrific atrocities. The International Criminal Court was right to indict Hamas’ leaders as war criminals.
"Forty-eight of those hostages are still being held in Gaza. They must be released immediately.
"Like any country suffering a terrorist attack, Israel had the absolute right to defend itself and go after Hamas.
"Tragically, however, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his extremist government did not simply go to war against Hamas terrorists. Instead, they unleashed an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people. The horrors of that war cannot be overstated.
"In a population of just 2.2 million, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed — mostly women, children and the elderly — and nearly 170,000 have been injured. Virtually the entire infrastructure of Gaza has been destroyed and made uninhabitable. And, as a result of Israel’s ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid, the people of Gaza are starving. The International Criminal Court was right to indict Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders for these war crimes.
"The United States can no longer be complicit in this horrific tragedy. We must stop providing military support to the Netanyahu government. We must secure a lasting ceasefire that stops the killing, brings the remaining hostages home, allows for a massive surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza and provides Palestinians with a path towards a state of their own.
U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement:
“We will never forget the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Almost 1,200 people, including 43 Americans, lost their lives that day and 250 people were taken hostage. It was the most violent attack against the Jewish people since the holocaust. We remember the terror inflicted on Israeli citizens that day and honor the lives and memories of the victims of Hamas’ evil acts—many of whom were children and young people, women, and the elderly. We also remember their families and loved ones, who have endured unimaginable pain since that day. In America and around the world, we must stand against hate and antisemitism today, and always.
“This horrific conflict must end. Hamas must return the remaining hostages, and humanitarian aid must be surged into Gaza. On the solemn anniversary of this tragic day, we should all recommit to peace and justice for all the people of the Middle East.”
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