Lawmakers and other in Washington, D.C., marked on Tuesday the second anniversary of the attacks by the militant group Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Amid the remembrances of the horrific attacks, ceasefire talks are underway in Egypt and it appears an end of the war could be in sight after two years of conflict and multiple days of negotiations.
In the initial 2023 attack, Hamas killed more than 1,000 people and took more than 250 hostages, sparking an Israeli counteroffensive that has killed thousands of Palestinians.
In a letter shared online by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, authored by President Donald Trump, the president and first lady Melania Trump thanked the organization for the nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
“I have been resolved to returning all the hostages home, and ensuring the total destruction of Hamas so these horrific acts may never be repeated,” Trump wrote, adding that his administration remains committed to seeing the war and antisemitism end.
Trump also met Tuesday with Edan Alexander, who was the last American hostage to be released by Hamas, and his family.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared online that he was honored to join Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other Cabinet officials at a vigil for the families of Israeli hostages.
“To this day, 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including the remains of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra,” Rubio said. “We pray for their return and a durable peace that ensures not only Israel’s security, but generational peace and prosperity for the region.”
Utah Sen. John Curtis issued a lengthy remembrance post online, noting he remains steadfast in his support for Israel and its right to defend itself against the “brutal and unprovoked attack” by Hamas.
Curtis also highlighted the 48 remaining hostages in Hamas captivity for whom “time has stood still since that dark morning.”
“May we never grow indifferent to terror, and may we never waver in our defense of freedom and human dignity,” he wrote.
In a press briefing Tuesday morning, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., condemned Hamas’ “horrific terrorist attack” two years ago.
Jeffries said he would be meeting with several hostages who were taken during the attack and later released, as well as the families of those who have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.
Jeffries called for all hostages still in Hamas control to be released and returned home, while also calling for an end to the “devastation in Gaza.” He asked for humanitarian assistance to flow into Gaza to provide relief to Palestinian civilians who have been in “harm’s way in a theater of war through no fault of their own.”
“It’s important that we find a just and lasting peace that can be implemented for the good of the people of Israel, our close ally, and for the good of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on people to never forget the “horrors Hamas inflicted” and asked for hostages to be released.
Schumer also addressed those who are working to end the war.
“At this crucial moment in negotiations, the Trump administration, all those at the table, and the international community must do everything to finally secure a ceasefire-hostage agreement to end the war in Gaza, bring home the hostages held by Hamas, surge humanitarian relief for innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and build lasting peace,” he wrote.
In the House, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., introduced bipartisan legislation that will educate students about the Oct. 7 attack and “combat rising antisemitism across the country.”
If passed, the October 7th Remembrance Education Act will instruct the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to build curriculum for schools to teach about the attack, the history of antisemitism and more.
Gottheimer is joined by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., in introducing the legislation.
Negotiations to end the war in Gaza ongoing
Late last month, Trump outlined plans for a peace agreement to end the war, including the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip, the creation of an international board, and the release of the remaining hostages as Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his recent fourth White House visit since Trump took office, agreed to the details of the plan, putting pressure on Hamas. The militant group later said it agreed to some aspects of the deal and was willing to negotiate the details further.
In Washington, amid the government shutdown chaos, lawmakers noted the anniversary and recent developments about the deal.
During a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said he was in “very serious negotiations” and believes there is a “possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East.”
“And so, our team is over there now. Another team just left. And other countries, literally every country in the world, has supported the plan. I don’t think there is anybody that hasn’t, actually,” Trump said, with Carney agreeing.
