PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Fresh off a visit to Israel and the West Bank, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania is calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war and the release of all hostages from Hamas. She is the first local member of the Federal government to do so.
“Too many innocent civilians are dying, are losing limbs or being orphaned, are without adequate food or water or medicine,” said Dean, who represents the 4th District of Pennsylvania, including most of Montgomery County and much of Berks County. “It is unacceptable to me that nearly 30,000 people have lost their lives. And the estimates are ⅔ of them, at least, are innocents.”
Dean says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has broken promises to protect innocent lives.
“Israel had the right and, I believe, the responsibility to defend itself, to prosecute a war against the terrorists who attacked them. … I asked Mr. Netanyahu to be precise, to spare innocent lives. And from a distance and from somewhat close up, it doesn't look like that.
“All along, I've asked for a humanitarian pause. I've asked for a stop to the fighting. Now I am up to a bilateral ceasefire, because I think that meets this moment of the level of suffering that is going on in Gaza. And what I think will be counterproductive — just a blasting of Gaza with tens of thousands of innocent people dead — will not produce the security that Israel must get.”
Dean said she has spoken with Jewish and Palestinian constituents.
“You can't hear the stories and not understand the individual suffering — no matter what side of the fence line you're on, no matter which side of any national border you're on. … That has been a common theme in my meetings with Jewish Jewish, Palestinian leaders.”