House GOP Leaders Host Conference With Hostage Families, Slam Biden Response to Hamas-Israel War

Leadership in the House Republican Conference was joined Tuesday by families of hostages taken by Hamas since the Oct. 7 attack on the Gaza Strip where they shared their stories, thanked the U.S. for its allyship, and called for further actions to bring their family members home.

Republican leadership continued to echo their condemnation of Hamas and support for Israel as the war reaches its one-month anniversary.

Alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at the press conference was Chair of the House Republican Conference Rep. Elise Stefanilk, R-N.Y., House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

Johnson allowed the families to share the stories of their family members who had been taken as hostages by Hamas and called for their release.

"I need your help. Basically, you know I'm I'm part of your people. You're part of Israel and America has been like the best allies and I'm so proud of being an American being an Israeli as well. But I do need you now because there's nothing helping me now I pray which I didn't do before but please help me," Doris Lieber, who was representing her son, Guy said.

Guy is a 26-year-old who was shot and taken by Hamas during a music festival in Israel. Lieber says she has not heard anything about her son's whereabouts in 30 days.

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., shared some of his experience traveling to Israel just a few days after the war broke out to help extract American citizens from the Gaza Strip. He slammed the Biden Administration, accusing the president of inaction when it comes to supporting to war-town country and Americans overseas.

"Under Joe Biden's failed foreign policy agenda we've emboldened adversaries like the Iran backed Hamas terrorist organizations and left our key allies vulnerable in their positions today," Mills said at the press conference. "It has now been over a month since Hamas terrorists took innocent American hostages, and yet we have no resolution and no plan or strategy by the administration. So the families that were here with us today, I want to say that I'm praying for the safe return of your loved ones."

Some members of Congress have been calling for a ceasefire, while others, along with the Biden Administration, have been urging a humanitarian pause in order to provide Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip with aid. However, Scalise says Hamas "gave that up" on Oct. 7 when they launched their attack.

"This Republican majority will continue to stand with Israel and the right to defend themselves to eliminate Hamas and to get the hostages back. This is not a time to be talking about ceasefires, pauses," Scalise said.

Last week Congress passed a measure condemning Hamas and antisemitism as well as approved a $14 billion aid package for Israel.

"As our cherished friend and ally Israel fights for its survival against the Iran backed terrorist of Hamas, we will continue to stand up for human dignity and offer moral clarity," Johnson said during the press conference. "House Republicans understand that this moment, demands decisive action. And we insist that we cannot waste any more time getting Israel the aid that it desperately needs."

Since the start of the Hamas-Israel war, there have been over 200 hostages taken, 1,400 Israelis killed and over 10,000 Palestinians killed.