Bill Text: NJ AR159 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commemorates anniversary of October 7th attack on Israel.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-09-26 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee [AR159 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR159-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ALIXON COLLAZOS-GILL
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman ALEXANDER "AVI" SCHNALL
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Conaway
SYNOPSIS
Commemorates anniversary of October 7th attack on Israel.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution commemorating the anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel.
Whereas, On October 7, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas carried out a brutal attack against the Jewish people and the State of Israel; and
Whereas, This barbaric attack took place just after the 50th anniversary of the start of the multi-front 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel; and
Whereas, The attack began in the early morning when Hamas launched thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip that reached as far as Tel Aviv and the outskirts of Jerusalem, and then infiltrated Israeli towns and army bases in the south, including a gathering of young people at a music festival; and
Whereas, The armed terrorists launched a coordinated strike arriving in boats, paragliders, motorcycles, and other vehicles; and
Whereas, News reports, survivor accounts, images, and videos from the scenes of this horrific attack show that Hamas terrorists slaughtered ordinary civilians and entire families, including babies and elderly people, set houses on fire, raped women, and took hostages; and
Whereas, In the immediate aftermath of the attack, 1,200 people were confirmed dead in Israel, including American citizens, and another 3,400 were wounded; and
Whereas, The October 7th attack was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history, resulting in more Jews killed that day than on any single day since the Holocaust; and
Whereas, Hamas has taken 251 men, women, and children hostage from Israel into Gaza, including American citizens; and
Whereas, One of the American hostages taken into captivity by Hamas, Edan Alexander, is a resident of Tenafly, New Jersey, and is still being held in captivity; and
Whereas, The hostages have been kept in inhumane and torturous conditions, including in cramped underground tunnels, since their kidnapping on October 7th; and
Whereas, Hamas has executed many of these hostages, including six individuals who were shot at close range on August 29, 2024 as Israeli Defense Forces approached their location; and
Whereas, Israeli authorities believe that 101 of the hostages who were kidnapped on October 7th remain in captivity, and it is believed that only 64 individuals remain alive; and
Whereas, The October 7th terror attack prompted a defensive war against Hamas by the Israeli Defense Forces; and
Whereas, Many thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians have been wounded and killed by Israeli strikes targeting Hamas leaders, militants, and command and control positions; and
Whereas, A large percentage of Palestinian civilians have been displaced and are now living in makeshift shelters with limited access to food, clean water, and medical care; and
Whereas, The suffering and death which has occurred as a result of the October 7th attack are tragic and horrific; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House commemorates the anniversary of the heinous and barbaric attack by Hamas against Israel that took place on October 7, 2023 and mourns the loss of life and human suffering that took place on that day and in the year since the attack.
2. This House condemns any and all acts of terrorism perpetrated by any terrorist organization.
3. This House stands in solidarity with the people of Israel and the Palestinian people who are suffering the consequences of the violence and hostilities inflicted as a result of the October 7th attack.
4. This House calls for the release of all hostages and supports efforts seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
5. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to Israel's Ambassador to the United States, the United States Ambassador to Israel, and to each member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
On October 7, 2023, just after the 50th anniversary of the start of the multi-front 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel, the terrorist organization Hamas carried out a brutal attack against the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The attack began in the early morning when Hamas launched thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip that reached as far as Tel Aviv and the outskirts of Jerusalem, and then infiltrated Israeli towns and army bases in the south, including a gathering of young people at a music festival. The armed terrorists launched a coordinated strike arriving in boats, paragliders, motorcycles, and other vehicles.
News reports, survivor accounts, images, and videos from the scenes of this horrific attack show that Hamas terrorists slaughtered ordinary civilians and entire families, including babies and elderly people, set houses on fire, raped women, and took hostages. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, 1,200 people were confirmed dead in Israel, including American citizens, and another 3,400 were injured. The October 7th attack was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history, resulting in more Jews killed that day than on any single day since the Holocaust.
On October 7th, Hamas took 251 men, women, and children hostage from Israel into Gaza, including American citizens, and kept them in inhumane and torturous conditions, including in cramped underground tunnels, since their kidnapping. One of the American hostages taken into captivity by Hamas, Edan Alexander, is a resident of Tenafly, New Jersey, and is still being held in captivity. Hamas has executed many of these hostages, including six individuals who were shot at close range on August 29, 2024 as Israeli Defense Forces approached their location. Israeli authorities believe that 101 of the hostages who were kidnapped on October 7th remain in captivity, and it is believed that only 64 individuals remain alive.
The October 7th terror attack prompted a defensive war against Hamas by the Israeli Defense Forces. Many thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians have been wounded and killed by Israeli strikes targeting Hamas leaders, militants, and command and control positions. A large percentage of Palestinian civilians have been displaced and are now living in makeshift shelters with limited access to food, clean water, and medical care. The suffering and death which has occurred as a result of the October 7th attacks are tragic and horrific.
It is therefore fitting and proper for New Jersey to commemorate the anniversary of the October 7th attack by Hamas against Israel, to mourn the lives that were lost as a result, condemn any and all acts of terrorism, stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and the Palestinian people, call for the release of all hostages, and support efforts seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
