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Congressman Lawler Speaks Out on The Second Anniversary of the October 7 Attacks on Israel

Washington, D.C. – 10/7/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler released the following statement marking two years since Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023:

“Two years ago, Hamas carried out the deadliest massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, murdering more than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children and taking hundreds of hostages. Still today, 48 hostages remain captive in Gaza, including two Americans: Omer Neutra and Itay Chen, two young Americans who had deep roots in New York. While both Omer and Itay were tragically murdered by Hamas, retrieving their bodies is of the highest priority.

731 days is too long. We must bring every hostage home immediately. That is why I welcome President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza as a serious, region-backed framework that provides an end to the conflict and the release of the hostages. Now the onus is on Hamas to choose peace over further bloodshed.

As Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, I’ll continue standing with Israel, defending its right to self-defense, and holding terrorists and their backers accountable. On this solemn anniversary, we mourn the victims, pray for their families, and reaffirm our commitment to justice after this disgusting attack."

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Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.