Hawley Op-Ed: Not one taxpayer dime for Gaza until Hamas frees all the hostages

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

By U.S. Senator Josh Hawley | Oct. 25, 2023 | Fox News

Since October 7, the world has learned with mounting horror exactly what Hamas’s terrorists did in Israel. Women and children slaughtered in their homes. Corpses paraded in the streets of Gaza. Screaming civilians dragged away on motorbikes. Now, the Israeli people fight for their lives, under the shadow of existential threat. 

[…] 

Last week, Joe Biden unveiled to the American people his latest budget request. Despite what it says, his $106 billion request isn’t really about supporting Israel. Far from it. Rather, this budget request asks Congress to approve billions of dollars in “humanitarian aid”—including some foreign relief funds for Gaza itself.

Gaza is ruled by a terrorist regime, currently holding captive dozens of innocent Israelis and numerous Americans. Let’s get one thing clear. Our policy here should be blindingly simple: no aid until Hamas releases its hostages. 

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Making matters worse, this proposal comes on the heels of Biden’s disastrous, $6 billion attempt to buy off Iran. Iran, of course, has been a longtime supporter of Hamas. But last month, the Biden administration agreed to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets—handing the regime vast financial resources to fund terrorism. This is exactly the kind of negotiation with terrorists America can’t afford. Now, every other group—Hamas included—knows that this Administration will pay their shakedown demands.

If Joe Biden and his team won’t keep Americans safe, it’s up to Congress. And here Republicans must take a hard line: no foreign aid for Gaza—none—until every last American hostage is freed and safe. 

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But above all else, no funding for terrorist groups. Every American, regardless of political party, should be able to agree on that.

Read the entire piece on Fox News.

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