ST. PAUL, Minn. — Dear colleagues, friends, and neighbors,
The past week of watching and listening to the horror of what has occurred in Israel and Palestine has left another hole in my heart and a knot in my stomach. As a Minnesota State Senator, I join my federal legislators in sending an imperative message to President Biden to act immediately, using all the means at his disposal to bring about a diplomatic solution to the present crisis. This means the unconditional release of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire by the State of Israel and Hamas, and the unconditional restoration of food, water, electricity, and medical care to the entire Gaza Strip.
This is not the time to point fingers but to bring relief to communities who have been destroyed and for families to grieve. Hamas’ horrifying attacks killed nearly 1,400 people and wounded 3,500 others. Death toll and injuries in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are growing daily — health officials in Gaza report that Israeli strikes have killed almost 3,800 people and wounded another 12,500 more. Civilians — including many, many children — are in the line of fire and have been injured or killed.
It is absolutely our moral responsibility to intercede in this long brewing conflict to squelch Israel’s relentless strikes on Gaza, to end Hamas’ terrorist actions, and to ensure international law is followed.
It is clear that the decades-long crisis leading up to this point cannot be settled quickly, and we must demand an immediate end to hostilities so a path to a just and lasting peace can be forged. We cannot sit back and hope for an end to the bloodshed with staggering loss of precious lives, and so it is up to President Biden and our national leaders to take brave action and to be resolute in immediate humanitarian action toward Palestine and Israel.
Senator Mary Kunesh
Assistant Majority Leader
District 39–New Brighton
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