Rep. Wasserman Schultz returns from Israel trip, says US committed to hostage release
MIAMI - U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is back in the United States after an eight day trip to the Middle East.
This was the second bi-partisan trip to the region for a U.S. delegation including Wasserman Schultz.
During the trip, the delegation met with leaders in Qatar, traveled to Egypt and Bahrain, and to Israel where they met with families of hostages.
"Our purpose and our mission was to make sure that we could send a strong message to Israel and Israelis that the United States Congress stands resolutely behind Israel," she said.
The congresswoman says the U.S. is committed to negotiations for the release of the more than 100 hostages, including six Americans still held in Gaza.
"It was important that we not just sign statements and issue, press releases, and be united in our position from thousands of miles away," she said.
The congresswoman acknowledged the loss of lives in Gaza and said it is devastating and says Hamas is to blame.
"This would never have happened in the war would not exist infamous had not attacked Israel and 1,200 of their citizens," she said.
She talked about Israel's social media war and blamed social media for the spread of misinformation. She also discussed the evidence of sexual violence against Israelis that she says isn't getting enough attention.
"Very frankly, because there seems to be an asterisk for sexual violence against Jews. It's the expression "Me To" unless you're a Jew," she said.
Wasserman Schultz said there is a lot of work to be done to bring peace to the region but the first steps she says are getting the hostages released and dismantling Hamas.
"No one is safe with the continuation of Hamas as a terrorist entity," she said.
The congresswoman says many of the negotiations were confidential but says that discussions for the release of the hostages remain ongoing.
