Family of Israeli hostages meet with Georgia state lawmakers as war with Hamas intensifies
Israelis in Georgia call for release of hostages
As war rages on in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, there are calls here at home for Hamas to release the hostages they took earlier this month. The Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, says more than 230 hostages have been taken captive. Some of their families met with Georgia lawmakers at the state Capitol.
ATLANTA - It was an emotional morning Monday at the Georgia Capitol as a number of lawmakers met with Israelis who say they have family members being held hostage in Gaza. This as the fighting between Israel and Hamas intensifies.
"The hostages, all of them, not should be released, they need to be released," said Shani Segal, who has a family member kidnapped by Hamas.
A delegation of Israelis met with some Georgia lawmakers to raise awareness and demand civilians being held captive in Gaza be released by Hamas.
"If we let a terror organization take civilians from their homes today, they will come and take people from their home tomorrow," Segal said.
The Israel Defense Forces say more than 230 hostages have been taken captive by Hamas.
Segal says two of her family members are among them.
"The world should come together against terror," she said.
The families made the journey to Georgia to bring awareness to their struggle as they fight to bring their loved one’s home from Gaza. They met with state lawmakers from the Georgia-Israel Legislative Caucus and the Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States.
"The call to bring them home is the most basic human call, and one that should be amplified and coming from every voice," said Anat Sultan-Dadon, the Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States.
The Georgia lawmakers the delegation met stood in solidarity with the families and the people of Israel.
"For Jews around the world, including these families and especially these families, we are in dark and dangerous times," said state Rep. Esther Panitch, D-Sandy Springs.
Rep. Panitch also used Monday’s meet and greet to call on Gov. Brian Kemp to use the special session of the General Assembly to bring up the antisemitism bill.
Kemp’s office released a statement reading:
"With the agenda already set for a limited special session, we anticipate that HB 30, along with many of the other currently pending legislation before the General Assembly, will be thoughtfully considered and debated in the upcoming regular legislative session."