NEW YORK (Press Releases) — World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder on Friday, August 1, condemned in the strongest possible terms the apparent kidnapping of an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip and urged Jews worldwide to pray for his safe return. The IDF suspects Second Lt. Hadar Goldin of Kfar Saba was seized Friday morning after the start of a humanitarian cease-fire. Two other soldiers were killed in the attack as Hamas terrorist emerged from a tunnel.
“This apparent kidnapping, and the killing of two other soldiers, all of which occurred after the declaration of a humanitarian cease-fire, are outrageous and deserve the strongest condemnation, which they are receiving worldwide,” Lauder said. “As the Obama Administration has said, these acts are barbaric, and the international community must exert its influence on Hamas to return the soldier immediately.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement: “The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s attack, which led to the killing of two Israeli soldiers and the apparent abduction of another. It was an outrageous violation of the cease-fire negotiated over the past several days, and of the assurances given to the United States and the United Nations.Hamas, which has security control over the Gaza Strip, must immediately and unconditionally release the missing Israeli soldier, and I call on those with influence over Hamas to reinforce this message.”
US Deputy National Security adviser Tony Blinken called the kidnapping “a barbaric violation of the cease-fire agreement,” and urged the international community to use their influence “to get Hamas to return the soldier that has been taken hostage and to live up to the agreements that were made just yesterday.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in a statement that “Hamas and the other terrorist organizations in Gaza would bear the consequences of their acts.”
“There is no doubt,” said Robert G. Sugarman, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations “that it was Hamas that once again violated the internationally brokered cease fire as they continued their assaults on Israeli civilians and military. It is clear that Hamas has no interest in the welfare of the people of Gaza. It is time for the international community to end its hypocrisy in which they equate Israel’s defense of its citizens and Hamas’s unrelenting terrorism.”
“We welcome Secretary Kerry’s condemnation of Hamas ‘in the strongest possible terms’ for today’s attacks as an ‘outrageous violation of the cease fire’ and the ‘assurances given to the US and UN’ as well the Secretary’s call for the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldier and his call that ‘international community must now redouble its efforts to end the tunnel and rocket attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israel and the suffering and loss of civilian life.’”
“We also welcome the statement by the White House spokesman recognizing this ‘barbaric violation’ of the cease fire agreement. We await a similar statement from the United Nations which has been so disproportionately obsessed with baseless condemnations of Israel, even when their own agencies are being subverted by Hamas.”
“Israel has gone to unprecedented lengths to avoid civilian casualties and regrets, as we do, the deaths of civilians put in harm’s way by Hamas. Their inhumane treatment of the people of Gaza, let alone their barbaric tactics against the people of Israel demand a concerted effort from the international community to condemn, isolate, and disarm them. These are essential if there is to be hope for a lasting peace.”
“Hamas leadership draws strength and is encouraged by the one-sided and distorted actions by the international community which must now speak and act forcefully and forthrightly. In particular, the United Nations must act against the use of UNRWA and other UN facilities as a base of Hamas operations, missile firing, weapon storage, and allowing them to be booby trapped to kill Israeli soldiers. The cynical, heartless use of the people of Gaza by Hamas, from exploiting the conditions that Hamas brought about to blocking the distribution of food and other aid, must end.”
“We express our condolences to the families of the soldiers who were killed and pray for the safe return of Hadar Goldin, who was abducted by Hamas terrorists acting under the cover of the cease fire. These acts underscore the need for the immediate disarmament of Hamas, prevention of further import of weapons, and the demilitarization of Gaza,” Said Sugarman and Hoenlein.
The Israel Advocacy group, Stand With Us, said: “These egregious actions expose the intractable nature of Israel’s enemy Hamas. It cannot be trusted. Hamas lies about accepting a truce, and uses the temporary calm to renew attacks. Hamas has caused and perpetuates the suffering of Gaza’s civilians. It uses Gaza residents and their civilian structures as human shields, won’t let residents heed Israel’s multiple layered warnings to flee to safety, permits only Hamas leaders to take shelter in underground bunkers, and diverts humanitarian goods for Hamas combatants. After exposing innocent civilians to these multiple dangers and deprivations, it will not even honor humanitarian truces to help them. In short, Hamas viciously uses Gaza’s civilians as cannon fodder.
“Our hearts go out to Hadar Goldin and his family, to the grieving families in Israel, to all of Israel for whom one soldier’s death or kidnapping is a personal tragedy. We also sympathize with the Palestinian victims of Hamas’ treachery. We pray that Goldin will be returned safely, and that through these heart wrenching battles, Israel will prevail and Hamas will be stripped of its ability to ever inflict such crimes again against Israelis and Palestinians,” said Roz Rothstein, StandWithUs CEO.
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Preceding provided by the World Jewish Congress and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations