We welcome the announcement of the deal to release the hostages who have been brutally held captive by Hamas in violation of both international law and basic humanity.

We are grateful these hostages are coming home, yet it is unconscionable that all those held by the terrorists have not yet been released, including U.S. citizens. American and world leaders must increase the pressure on Hamas and its allies to ensure the terror group adheres to this deal and finally releases all the remaining hostages.

We appreciate the tireless efforts of the Biden administration to help negotiate this agreement together with Israel, and we applaud the administration and the overwhelming majority of Republicans and Democrats in Congress who have supported our democratic ally throughout this war. We also thank President-elect Trump for his forceful demands of Hamas to free the hostages and for dispatching his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to advance the negotiations.

Backed by Iran, Hamas started this war on October 7, 2023, when it launched an unprovoked attack on Israel and committed the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The terror group could have ended this war long ago had it freed the hostages and surrendered, yet it instead used Palestinian civilians as human shields and brought horrific death, destruction, and humanitarian crises to Gaza.

Today’s agreement is a direct byproduct of the tremendous progress of Israel’s military operation to degrade, destroy, and isolate the Iranian terrorist proxies of Hamas and Hezbollah. America must continue to stand with Israel as it fights a just and moral battle of self-defense against Iran and its proxies.

As Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated last week, progress in these talks is a direct byproduct of strong U.S. support for Israel, while the negotiations were routinely undermined by those who sought to create daylight in the relationship and place public pressure on Israel. Indeed, an ironclad U.S.-Israel relationship is the foundation for advancing American national security interests and building a better future in the Middle East.

American leaders must further strengthen the partnership between the United States and Israel and ensure the two allies work together to weaken our adversaries, strengthen our shared security, and expand peace and normalization across the region.