House lawmakers hold candlelight vigil with families of Hamas hostages

House lawmakers held a solemn candlelight vigil on the steps of the US Capitol Wednesday evening to mark 103 days since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 240 hostage.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said the bipartisan group gathered on “a very sad anniversary” to remember their deaths — which included 33 Americans — and offer prayers for peace, as the members had also done one month after Israel declared war against the terror group in the Gaza Strip.

“A little more than 70 days ago, this group gathered to remember the October 7th attacks on the Jewish people. And here we are again, because there are still your sons and daughters being held captive by Hamas,” Johnson said.

“Kfir Bibas is one of those being held in captivity. He’s just turned one year old. Hamas took him hostage four months ago. And his parents are now remembering his birthday, hoping he’ll be back in their arms soon.”

Family members of other hostages joined the House delegation on the east face of the Capitol building, standing shoulder to shoulder with the members of Congress and holding posters of their loved ones in their arms.

Republicans and Democrats huddled together in the cold, each carrying a small candle and the number “103” taped across their winter coat lapels, commemorating the time elapsed since the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

“We must continue to speak the truth about what Hamas did,” Johnson went on. “In the aftermath of the attack, we’ve heard shocking details about the widespread, unspeakable violence that Hamas terrorists committed against innocent civilians.”

He added that “the details of this are difficult to repeat” but “must be faced” before describing some of the most gruesome acts that the terrorists committed.

“We learned that women had their pelvic bones broken by terrorists who raped them. Those animals beheaded babies. Hamas forced children to watch their parents get tortured and murdered, and they made parents watch the murder of their children. They savagely aimed their weapons at Jewish women’s genitals and fired mercilessly,” Johnson said.

“We have to testify with the women who have been beaten, tortured and kept in cages as hostages in Gaza. We must hear the cries of the young Jewish boys whose legs were branded on the exhaust pipes of motorcycles, so Hamas captors could track them and prevent their escape.”

“We will not tolerate it. We must stand together in solidarity with the Jewish people. And we will, from the synagogues in Brooklyn to the country churches of my home in Northwest Louisiana, from the Senate to the house — we support Israel, believing that we can overcome the darkness with light.”

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (Calif.) spoke on behalf of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who was not in attendance, affirming that “defeating Hamas and the terrorist threat will require bipartisan cooperation.”

“These last 100 days have been trying for so many of us. We come together today to leave no doubt that when it comes to the safety and security of the people of Israel, we must leave partisanship aside,” Aguilar said.

“It is our responsibility to defend our country’s strongest ally in the Middle East, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans,” he added. “Putting an end to the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia will require bipartisan cooperation, ensuring a lasting and sustainable peace in the Middle East will require bipartisan cooperation.”

Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC) chose to recite a modern version of the prayer for the captives recited regularly in synagogue, which she said “has taken on new urgency” in the aftermath of the Hamas attack.

“Some try to compare Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists to evil acts, but there is no comparison,” Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) added. “As someone who’s Jewish, if you are Jewish, and if you have a family member who’s Jewish, or if you have a friend who’s Jewish, don’t be afraid.”

“Look behind me. Look at this Congress, and know that we stand with the Jewish people,” he said.

Johnson closed with a moment of silence and a prayer for “peace in Jerusalem.”

Hours earlier, a similar event to commemorate the loss of life was held in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which family members of hostages also attended.