Assemblyman Keith P. Brown (R,C-Northport) stands with the Jewish community throughout New York and the U.S. and fully supports the State of Israel. One year ago today, Hamas terrorists slaughtered more than 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages, including some U.S. citizens. And just last week, the Iranian government launched more than 180 missiles at central Israel, striking areas populated by innocent civilians. Brown asserts these attacks have hit too close to home.

“These horrific attacks on a U.S. ally threaten not only the State of Israel but also Jewish-American citizens around the world,” said Brown. “Israelis and the Jewish people deserve our undying support. The actions of the terrorist group Hamas and the Iranian government are heinous, nothing short of crimes against humanity.”

Brown is calling on the Biden/Harris Administration to step in and do everything it can to ensure the surviving U.S. and Israeli hostages who have been held by the terrorist group Hamas since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack return home safely. Brown joined his colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference and members of the community in Albany on April 2, 2024, to make a public plea to the Biden/Harris Administration to bring the Hamas hostages home.

Omer Neutra from Plainview, New York and Edan Alexander from Tenafly, New Jersey both courageously served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as soldiers and were kidnapped by Hamas last year—both remain hostages to this day. Sapir Cohen, an Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for 55 days, continues to share her story of survival, visiting the Nassau County community and others throughout New York state and the U.S.—while she survived the terrifying ordeal and was released, her boyfriend Sasha Trufanov remains a hostage in Gaza. As of Sept. 1, 2024, 101 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Until every hostage is released, Brown says he will continue to lend his support to the Jewish community and the Israeli people and demand the Biden/Harris Administration takes action.

“We must do everything in our power to help Omer Neutra, Edan Alexander, Sasha Trufanov and all the other innocent people taken prisoner by Hamas return home safe. Many of the innocent people taken prisoner by Hamas in 2023 were never released—sons, daughters, friends and neighbors have either been killed or have remained hostages for a year now. As a parent and an advocate for the Jewish community, I will continue to speak out against Hamas and its inhumane treatment of the innocent people they have terrorized.

“Jewish-Americans have brought rich culture and a strong sense of community to our state and nation—they deserve the same respect and protections under the law as every U.S. citizen. They do not deserve to live in fear or be the target of violence because of their beliefs. Our students should feel safe going away to college, our kids should feel safe playing in the neighborhood with their friends. Everyone should be able to go about their day-to-day lives and practice their religion freely. While the violent attacks overseas have inspired some Hamas sympathizers close to home, acts of violence against people on the grounds of religion will not be tolerated in New York State or the U.S.

“Bringing the hostages home and bringing justice to the countless families who have been affected by Hamas and Iranian terrorists need to be our top priorities. My prayers are with the hostages who remain in Gaza and their loving families. The state of New York and the U.S. stand with the Israeli people and condemn Iran and Hamas for launching these devastating attacks. It is time the Biden/Harris Administration steps in and brings them home,” concluded Brown.