(WASHINGTON) – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations and a member of the House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group announced she sent a letter to President Joe Biden, calling on the President to continue working to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas in tandem with a mutual ceasefire and a significant influx of humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) wrote in part: 

“Our foreign policy must always center those most marginalized. I write to express my urgent support for your Administration’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages in tandem with a restored mutual ceasefire in Gaza. I support your Administration’s efforts to deescalate the conflict throughout the region to limit future casualties, bring hostages home safely, and begin a path towards lasting peace that respects the lives of Israelis and Palestinians alike. As Vice President Kamala Harris noted this past weekend, ‘given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire, for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.’”

Congresswoman Williams continued: 

“I am hopeful that such a deal results in the release of all remaining hostages and a massive increase in humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, as well as allows the Muslims in Gaza to observe Ramadan in peace and safety. I understand that such a diplomatic accomplishment requires the active and persistent cooperation of all parties involved; it is in our national interest, and the interest of countless innocent civilians, that these negotiations succeed. I fully endorse Vice President Harris’s comments that “Hamas needs to agree to that deal. Let’s get a ceasefire. Let’s reunite the hostages with their families. And let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.

“To be clear, I unconditionally call on Hamas to release all hostages and stop using innocent Palestinians as bargaining chips in their reign of terror, and support the pursuit of that objective. I also recognize that without a negotiated mutual ceasefire, the humanitarian situation in Gaza will continue to deteriorate and thousands more innocent people, including children, will die. As each day passes without an agreement for their release, the likelihood of the safe and healthy return of the remaining hostages grows dimmer…

“The past several months have been an unimaginable human tragedy, one that is only getting worse. Our emphasis must be keeping innocent civilians safe and setting the conditions for a reality in the region where innocent civilians, Israeli and Palestinian alike, no longer have to live under existential fear. I look forward to working with your Administration towards these shared priorities.”

Click here to read in full Congresswoman Williams’ letter to President Biden. 

CONTACT: PressGA05@mail.house.gov 

Congresswoman Nikema Williams proudly serves Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District on the exclusive Financial Services Committee. She is a champion of voting rights and builds on the Fifth District’s legacy as the cradle of the civil rights movement as co-chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus. Congresswoman Williams is committed to closing the racial wealth gap and ensuring the promise of America for all–regardless of your ZIP code or bank account.

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