Statement rejects inflammatory “from the river to the sea” phrase, condemns Hamas atrocities, and calls for the release of hostages and humanitarian pauses to get needed aid into Gaza

Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) and dozens of colleagues signed onto the following joint statement led by Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10) regarding the ongoing Hamas-Israel War.

The text of the statement reads:

“We reject the use of the phrase “from the river to the sea”— a phrase used by many, including Hamas, as a rallying cry for the destruction of the State of Israel and genocide of the Jewish people. We all feel deep anguish for the human suffering caused by the war in Gaza. Hamas started this war with a barbaric terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and neither the Palestinian nor Israeli people can have peace as long as Hamas still rules over Gaza and threatens Israel.

“This war is tragic and deeply painful for everyone, especially those who identify with the land and the people—Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. Every civilian killed, every family torn apart, Palestinian and Israeli, is a tragedy. Every human being deserves dignity and respect, and each of us must do all we can to always see the humanity of the innocent people caught in the middle of this war.

“We support Israel’s right and obligation to defend itself — to protect its citizens, secure its borders, and rescue its people held hostage in Gaza. Israel also has the obligation to, as best as possible, protect civilians, and in all its actions adhere to international humanitarian law (notwithstanding Hamas’ complete disregard for the same).

“We also recognize the desperate needs of the civilians in Gaza, and fully support doing everything possible to expand safe zones, provide transit corridors, and deliver life-sustaining humanitarian aid. A humanitarian pause of limited space and time, the release of the more than 240 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, the cessation of rockets fired by Hamas at Israel from civilian neighborhoods in Gaza, and the release of all Palestinian civilians being detained by Hamas as human shields in Gaza would go far toward achieving these goals.

“We are grateful for President Biden’s extraordinary leadership, for his steadfast support of our ally Israel, and for his unwavering commitment to pursuing a lasting solution to the conflict.” 

The statement was signed by Representatives Ami Bera (D-Calif.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), J. Luis Correa (D-Calif.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Christopher Deluzio (D-Pa.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.), William Keating (D-Mass.), Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Kathy Manning (D-N.C.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.), Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Stacey Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), Patrick Ryan (D-N.Y.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Bradley Schneider (D-Ill.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), David Scott (D-Ga.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Eric Sorensen (D-Texas), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), David Trone (D-Md.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla).