Kamlager-Dove Statement on 1 year since October 7th

LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement marking one year since Hamas’ October 7th Terror Attack on Israel:

“One year after Hamas’ October 7th terror attack on Israel, the scope and evil of Hamas’ atrocities are still difficult to comprehend. 1,200 people—women, children, the elderly, and other civilians—were massacred in Kibbutzim, villages, and even at a music festival for peace. Another 251 were stolen from their lives and taken hostage by Hamas, with many murdered by Hamas in captivity. A year later, dozens remain trapped in Gaza, with hostage families left in the dark about the wellbeing of their relatives. Hamas inflicted even further trauma by weaponizing sexual violence against its victims.

“These heinous war crimes knew no borders. Nationals from at least 40 countries were murdered or kidnapped, including Americans, of whom at least 43 are dead and seven remain hostage in Gaza. And while Hamas sought to target Jewish Israelis, their victims included people from Muslim, Christian, Druze, Bedouin, and Arab communities too.

“The world witnessed the horrors inflicted by Hamas on October 7th, and we must continue to stand together to condemn them and oppose vile efforts to justify Hamas’ actions or deny its brutality. We must also continue to stand with the Jewish community here in Los Angeles and worldwide, recognizing the deep wounds that the pain of this day and subsequent surge in antisemitism across the globe have reopened. It is unfathomable that the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust occurred not in the distant past but just one year ago today.

“I know that our Los Angeles Jewish community is once again fearing for the safety of loved ones—the same fear felt just a year ago—in wake of Iran’s reckless missile attack on Israel, which killed a Palestinian in the West Bank. The U.S. must work with our allies to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East, ensure Israel’s security, and protect innocent lives in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. Now is the time to secure a ceasefire in Gaza to free the hostages, prevent the outbreak of a regional war, protect civilians, and ensure that an October 7th can never happen again.”

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