Bill Text: NJ AR204 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Demanding Hamas to surrender to stop civilian bloodshed in Gaza.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 18-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-01-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [AR204 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-AR204-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BETH SAWYER
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Demanding Hamas to surrender to stop civilian bloodshed in Gaza.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution demanding Hamas to surrender to stop the civilian bloodshed in Gaza.
Whereas, On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a massive unprovoked war on Israel by air, land, and sea, including firing thousands of rockets targeting civilians; and
Whereas, This heinous premeditated assault took place on the 50th anniversary of the start of the multi-front 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel; and
Whereas, Hamas terrorists crossed into Israel and began indiscriminately killing civilians, abducting men, women, and children to hold as hostages, slaughtering ordinary people and entire families, including babies and elderly people, setting houses on fire, burning people alive, committing unspeakable acts of sexual violence and mutilation to women, and committing countless other atrocities; and
Whereas, Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets into Israel, murdered at least 1,400 people, of whom 30 were American citizens, and abducted over 200 individuals whom they have been holding as hostages in deplorable conditions since the attack; and
Whereas, Hamas has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States and the European Union due to its history of suicide bombings and rocket attacks against Jewish People and the State of Israel; and
Whereas, Since issuing its charter in 1988, Hamas has called for the destruction of the State of Israel as an inherent principle of the group; and
Whereas, In response to the Hamas terrorist attack, Israel declared war on Hamas on October 8, 2023 and launched "Operation Swords of Iron," calling to duty over 300,000 reservists in the first 48 hours, which according to the Israeli Defense Forces is the largest military mobilization since the 400,000 reservists called to serve in the 1973 Yom Kippur War; and
Whereas, Hamas has usurped resources which ought to have been used to aid the people of Gaza and has instead used them to further their terrorist activities, including the stockpiling of vast quantities of rockets and other armaments and the construction of a vast network of tunnels used to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians and to hoard food, water, fuel and other supplies which could be used to benefit the people of Gaza; and
Whereas, Hamas has utilized civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, mosques, and residential areas to conduct terrorist activities in an attempt to shield themselves from retaliation and to foment international outrage against Israel due to the unintended loss of civilian life in Gaza; and
Whereas, Due to Hamas embedding their terrorist activities within civilian areas, retaliation targeting Hamas by the Israeli Defense Forces has resulted in unintended civilian casualties; and
Whereas, Hamas has hindered the provision of aid supplies to the people of Gaza and prevents millions of Gazan civilians from receiving access to basic resources; and
Whereas, Thousands of lives have been destroyed and millions of Gazan civilians are needlessly suffering the consequences of the terrorist actions of Hamas; and
Whereas, This conflict, and the unnecessary civilian bloodshed it has caused, would quickly resolve if Hamas were to immediately lay down their arms and surrender; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House demands that Hamas immediately surrender in order to stop civilian bloodshed.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Prime Minister of Israel, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, the United States Ambassador to Israel, and each member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a massive, unprovoked war on Israel, including firing thousands of rockets targeting civilians. This heinous and premeditated assault took place on the 50th anniversary of the start of the multi-front 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel. Hamas terrorists crossed into Israel and began indiscriminately killing civilians, abducting men, women, and children to hold as hostages, slaughtering entire families including babies and elderly people, setting houses on fire, burning people alive, committing unspeakable acts of sexual violence and mutilation to women, and committing countless other atrocities. Hamas terrorists murdered at least 1,400 people, of whom 30 were American citizens, and abducted over 200 individuals whom they have been holding as hostages in deplorable conditions since the attack.
Hamas has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States and the European Union due to its history of suicide bombings and rocket attacks against Jewish People and the State of Israel. Since issuing its charter in 1988, Hamas has called for the destruction of the State of Israel as an inherent principle of the group.
In response to the Hamas terrorist attack, Israel declared war on Hamas on October 8, 2023 and launched "Operation Swords of Iron," calling to duty over 300,000 reservists in the first 48 hours, which according to the Israeli Defense Forces is the largest military mobilization since the 400,000 reservists called to serve in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Hamas has usurped resources which ought to have been used to aid the people of Gaza and has used them to further their terrorist activities, including the stockpiling of vast quantities of rockets and other armaments and the construction of a vast network of tunnels used to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians and to hoard food, water, fuel and other supplies which could be used to benefit the people of Gaza. Hamas has utilized civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, mosques, and residential areas to conduct terrorist activities in an attempt to shield themselves from retaliation and to foment international outrage against Israel due to the unintended loss of civilian life in Gaza. Due to Hamas embedding their terrorist activities within civilian areas, retaliation targeting Hamas by the Israeli Defense Forces has resulted in unintended civilian casualties. Hamas has hindered the provision of aid supplies to the people of Gaza and prevents millions of Gazan civilians from receiving access to basic resources.
Thousands of lives have been destroyed and millions of Gazan civilians are needlessly suffering the consequences of the terrorist actions of Hamas. This conflict, and the unnecessary civilian bloodshed it has caused, would quickly resolve if Hamas were to immediately lay down their arms and surrender. Therefore, this House demands Hamas to surrender to stop further civilian bloodshed in Gaza.
