The weeks since the horrifying October 7 Hamas attack have been devastating for both Israeli and Palestinian children.

During the atrocities on October 7, Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people in Israel, among them at least 38 children and babies. Many children were left orphaned. The terrorists abducted more than 240 hostages, including at least 32 children, among them a 9-month-old baby, and removed them to Gaza. Another hostage was nine months pregnant at the time of her abduction and is believed to have given birth in captivity. Many adult hostages, including nursing mothers, were separated from their infants and children.

As the war in Gaza continues, and the Israel-Lebanon border heats up, there are also rising tensions in the West Bank, with a shocking increase in settler violence that threatens to destabilize an increasingly volatile situation.

According to the Israeli human rights organization, Yesh Din, in the month following the October 7 terror attack, 163 Palestinians were killed by settlers and Israeli security forces in the West Bank and more than 900 adults and children were forcibly driven from their homes following settler violence. These actions constitute a violation of human rights, threaten to inflame an already dangerous situation, and endanger the possibility of a two-state solution.

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Americans for Peace Now’s President and CEO Hadar Susskind urges the administration to push for a humanitarian pause in the Israel-Hamas war and to intensify its diplomatic efforts to protect the lives of civilians impacted by the current crisis.

In addition, the letter calls for fuel to relief agencies in the Gaza Strip to be included in any humanitarian aid. “Without an adequate supply of fuel to UNRWA, the humanitarian assistance permitted to enter Gaza essentially becomes worthless, exacerbating the suffering of the already vulnerable population,” the letter says, explaining that fuel is vital for distributing the humanitarian supplies provided for Gazan civilians. 

APN calls for the immediate release of all hostages and urges the administration to expedite the delivery of additional assistance, pushing for a humanitarian pause pending measures to spare civilians, establishing a humanitarian corridor to enable safe passage of civilians away from northern Gaza, and other measures to prevent further civilian deaths.

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived.