13th District Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski is pushing for Congressional action to provide additional resources to Israel and bring American citizens back to the U.S.
The White House said yesterday that 27 Americans have been confirmed killed as a result of the unfolding violence in Israel. 14 Americans are also currently unaccounted for. The White House has not yet determined how many Americans are currently being held hostage by the Palestinian paramilitary group Hamas.
Budzinski says she’s working to try and bring those who are from Central Illinois home from the war-torn region: “This past weekend, Hamas launched a wave of unprovoked violence against Israel. I’m horrified by the news that we continue to learn about the brutality of these terrorist attacks from Hamas. And I’m committed to standing with our allies in Israel as they defend themselves and their homeland. My team and I are working to help bring constituents home safely. And I’ve joined a bipartisan effort urging the State Department to consider charter and military flights to evacuate Americans as quickly as possible. I’m also an Original Co-Sponsor of two bipartisan resolutions affirming our support for Israel. It’s clear that Congress must take immediate action to pass additional aid for our friends and allies in Israel and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on our progress.”
Overall, more than 1,200 Israelis and 1,350 Palestinians have been killed since the attacks began on Saturday. The first shipments of military aid from the U.S. to Israel arrived on Tuesday.