FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 22, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: brian.phillips@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the below statement following the United States’ submission of a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas:

“In the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack against Israel, an ongoing crisis of escalating violence, destruction, and loss of innocent lives has plagued the region without producing any clear path toward a lasting peace and an end to this conflict. As we continue to mourn the thousands of innocent lives taken in this war, it’s imperative we keep our focus on creating a peaceful and dignified path forward. 

“For me, this means that the United States must continue to reaffirm, clearly and for all to hear, the long-standing position that a Two-State Solution is the only acceptable outcome to this conflict. Moreover, we cannot tolerate the wanton loss of Palestinian lives, the majority of whom are women and children, as a cost of conducting this war against Hamas. The violation of human rights and continued death and destruction cannot be tolerated as a means of expediting an end to this crisis.

“I fully support the Biden Administration’s recent call for an immediate, sustained ceasefire directly tied to the release of hostages. Secondly, I encourage the Administration to exhaust every option in order to get humanitarian relief to the people suffering in Gaza as well as help create the conditions necessary for a lasting and enduring peace in the region.

“While it has been reported that Hamas’ has been seizing vital humanitarian aid from desperate families, such as critically needed food, clean water, fuel, and medicine, as a global leader, we must not waver in our role, nor abandon our obligations to those in need of immediate care and living under daily duress. Instead, it is only further evidence of the United States’ need to double our efforts in preserving innocent lives and delivering the crucial aid needed to preserve precious life.

“I have heard the passionate pleas of my constituents. Their views have been divergent and as varied as their lived experiences. In this season of High Holy Days, Ramadan, Easter and Passover, and to my constituents who aren’t observant at all, I am reiterating my sentiments stated at the outset of this war: New York’s 9th Congressional District is home to one of the most diverse constituencies in the nation. There is no home for hatred here. We must not be consumed by the vitriol and malice that tears at our souls, nor should we tolerate those who spew such venom.

“Out of an abundance of deep concern and abiding love for all of the people who call Brooklyn their home, I encourage our community leaders and all people of goodwill to continue to stand for decency, dignity, respect and compassion for our neighbors, family, and friends. Our nation, and especially Brooklyn, New York, is home to some of the world’s most vulnerable religious, racial and ethnic communities, who are no strangers to racist, xenophobic, antisemitic and islamophobic attacks based on their religious beliefs, in addition to their racial and ethnic identities. The reality is that the threat of terrorism has been elevated for decades. Still, the ongoing violence in the Middle East significantly heightens the danger of hate-fueled attacks against the American people, particularly our Muslim and Jewish sisters and brothers and by extension, all of us. We must treat one another the way we want to be treated, regardless of religious beliefs or political affiliations, and we must endeavor to acknowledge the humanity in one another and strive for tolerance for the betterment of our civil society.”

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