Press Releases

Today, Representative Gerry Connolly (VA-11) joined Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Jim McGovern (MA-02) in writing to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the administration to continue working to ensure the safety of infants and children living under terror and violence in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. The lawmakers, joined by 24 cosigners, reiterated the importance of protecting children suffering from the devastating consequences of war as the United States works to secure the immediate release of all hostages and send humanitarian aid to civilians in the region.

The lawmakers wrote, “If our world can agree on nothing else, surely we can agree that children must be protected from the horrific consequences of terrorism and war; that the endangerment of children, and grave violations of their rights and physical safety, by terrorist attacks and in armed conflict must end immediately; and that it is long past time to stop this cycle of violence and trauma that has ruined the lives of far too many children.”

Pregnant women, infants and children were targets during the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel, and children have been among the casualties of the aerial bombardment of Gaza and the recent settler violence in the West Bank.

Text of the letter is available here.