EXCERPT:
JAYAPAL: "My response is that we need immediate, sustained humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. We need the bombings — and, you know, you can call it a humanitarian truce, as 140 countries said in the resolution that was passed at the United Nations. The United States was one of only 14 countries to oppose that resolution. Call it a humanitarian truce. Use that time to make sure we get the hostages out, both American hostages and Israeli hostages. Let's not forget, Kristen, that we also have 500 U.S. citizens, plus their families, who were told to go to Southern Gaza because they were not safe in Northern Gaza. That was the part that was going to be bombed. They are now at the Rafah Crossing. And all these days later, three weeks later, they are still there. The United States has a responsibility to de-escalate the situation. We see the escalation on the northern border with Hezbollah. And I think this is the moment for us to de-escalate, to call for a cessation of hostilities, and to allow humanitarian aid through and the negotiators to work to get the hostages released."