A group of at least nine Democratic lawmakers made a poignant statement on Wednesday by donning blue attire at the Capitol to express solidarity with the Israeli hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“I wore blue today with my colleagues to stand in solidarity with the Israeli hostages because enough is enough,” expressed Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday. She continued, “It’s time we bring back the hostages. And we will wear blue every Wednesday until the hostages are released.”
The Florida Democrat shared a photo of herself clad in a blue pantsuit, joined by her fellow party members including Democratic Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), Emilia Strong Sykes (Ohio), Debbie Dingell (Mich.), Dan Goldman (N.Y.), Kathy Manning (N.C.), Jennifer McClellan (Va.), Nikema Williams (Ga.), and Brad Schneider (Ill.).
Democratic Lawmakers (Credits: The Hill)
Families of the hostages still held by Hamas stood alongside a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, including Wasserman Schultz, in a press conference urging the militant group to release the hostages ahead of Thursday’s State of the Union address.
Wasserman Schultz stressed that it was crucial for Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, to accept a temporary cease-fire deal that Israel had reportedly agreed to over the weekend.
“The ball is in Hamas’s court here,” Wasserman Schultz emphasized during Wednesday’s press conference. “We have to tell Hamas to accept this deal right now.”
The proposed deal, if accepted by Hamas, would involve a six-week cease-fire, with Hamas releasing hostages considered at risk. Additionally, it would facilitate a larger influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which has been severely affected by Israel’s military operations.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians, with hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes. Israel’s military operations intensified following Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, which claimed the lives of over 1,200 people in southern Israel.
Approximately 240 individuals were taken hostage by Hamas during these attacks, with around 100 released during a weeklong cease-fire late last year.
In a show of support, the families of the hostages urged lawmakers and their staff to wear yellow ribbons and dog tags during President Biden’s State of the Union address.
Several Democrats have been increasingly vocal in calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, with members of the progressive flank publicly criticizing Biden for his handling of the situation.
