U.S. Rep. Summer Lee joins resolution calling for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee has joined a group of progressive lawmakers in calling for Congress to support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Lee, a Democrat from Swissvale, is a co-sponsor on the Ceasefire Now Resolution that urges “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” Initial co-sponsors included U.S. Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., André Carson, D-Ind., and Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.

The resolution said that more than 2,700 Palestinians and over 1,400 Israelis were killed by armed violence from Oct. 7 through Oct. 16. It doesn’t mention Hamas or the Israeli government, but urges President Joe Biden to call for a ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Lee said in a statement that violence in Israel and Palestine is “devastating to watch” and she condemned the “violence, terrorism and hostage-taking by Hamas.”

“But we cannot allow innocent civilians in Gaza, including children, to continue to be collectively and inhumanely punished for Hamas’ horrific actions, as we’ve already seen Israeli airstrikes kill thousands of civilians against international human rights law and force hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes,” Lee said.

“Continued retaliation against civilians will do nothing to end this tragic cycle of violence,” she added.

Eight other lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, also signed onto the resolution.

Another Western Pennsylvania Democrat in Washington, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Braddock, issued a statement Wednesday opposing a ceasefire. He said that if not for Hamas, thousands of innocent Israelis and Palestinians would still be alive today. He said a ceasefire should not be discussed until Hamas is neutralized.

“Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire. We must support Israel in their efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women and children,” Fetterman said. “Hamas does not want peace, they want to destroy Israel.”

Israel declared war after Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants killed at least 1,400 people in Israeli communities. Israeli military operations so far have killed thousands in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas. In trying to justify its attacks, Hamas pointed to the expansion of Israeli settlements into lands Palestinians claim for a future state and other religious tensions between Muslims and Jews.

In a visit to Israel on Wednesday, Biden said the United States will continue to stand behind Israel. He condemned Hamas and said the group does represent the Palestinian people and that the vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas.

He announced $100 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the West Bank.

Also Wednesday, Lee joined another resolution that condemned Hamas and called for the immediate return of all hostages abducted by Hamas.

The Ceasefire Now Resolution is unlikely to move in Congress. Another resolution supporting Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas garnered support from over 420 members of Congress. It didn’t urge any de-escalation.

Biden said during a “60 Minutes” interview Sunday he is “confident that Israel is going to act under the rules of war.”

On Wednesday, the United States vetoed a United Nations resolution condemning all violence against civilians in the Israel-Hamas war and urging humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, saying it was too early to craft an appropriate Security Council response to the crisis, according to the Associated Press.

In a lengthy statement issued Tuesday, Lee acknowledged the suffering that Pittsburgh’s Jewish community has endured and family members they have lost in Hamas’ attacks on Israel. She said it has come as an extra burden as the fifth anniversary of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting is approaching.

She also said she is thinking of Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities who continue to suffer immeasurable loss in the aftermath of the conflict.

“In our most difficult moments, it’s more important than ever that we lead first with our shared humanity, love and care,” Lee posted on social media. “I was reminded that, in deeply political and politicized moments, how easy it is to forget the human cost and need for simple empathy.”