Florida Congresspersons Draft Resolution Condemning Hamas

The Florida congressman and congresswoman leading their parties on the U.S. House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee -- U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., who serves as chairwoman, and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla. -- introduced a resolution condemning Hamas and other terrorist groups for using human shields.

Hamas has proven that it has no respect for innocent Israeli life with its continued onslaught of indiscriminate rocket fire on civilian populations, and it once again is showing it has no respect for the lives of the Palestinian people by using them as human shields, Ros-Lehtinen said on Wednesday. Abu Mazen must demand that Hamas cease its attacks against the people of Israel and its use of Palestinians, including women and children, as human shields. This resolution sends a strong message that Congress condemns these cowardly acts, and that we stand in support of our friend and ally, the democratic Jewish state of Israel, and for those Palestinian people who truly seek peace with Israel and who oppose Hamas and its use of terror.

Hamas continues to put the lives of innocent Palestinians at risk every day by hiding its rocket-making factories, launchers and weapons stockpiles in civilians areas, Deutch said. As Israel warns civilians of forthcoming strikes on terrorist targets, Hamas repeatedly tells the people of Gaza to ignore these warnings. Hamas use of civilians as human shields is deplorable and should be condemned by any nation that values human rights.