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Floor Speech

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Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, it has now been more than 100 days since scores of innocent people were kidnapped by Hamas. More than 2,500 hours of fear, starvation, and torture; of parents, grandparents, teenagers, children suffering some of the most unimaginable horrors and wondering if they will ever see their loved ones again.

This is my ninth time coming to the Senate floor to tell their stories, to express their pain. But for every day that I have come here, for every hour, for every minute the hostages and their families have lived eternities.

Last week, I met the mother of a woman, a 19-year-old daughter named Daniela. She was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz. She showed me the before and after pictures of her daughter.

On the morning of October 7, Daniela's mother woke up to the sound of sirens. She texted her daughter to ask her what was happening. Daniela responded ``Mom, pray for me'' and explained that there was ``lots of shooting everywhere and bombs.''

The last anyone heard from her was 7:45 a.m.

Daniela's mother says her daughter was injured in the leg and taken into Gaza, after she saw 16 of her friends slaughtered. She was wearing pale pink Mickey Mouse pajama bottoms and can be seen in a Hamas video with three other girls. Their hands are tied behind their backs; their clothing and faces smeared with blood and tears; sheer terror in their eyes.

The same Hamas video also shows Liri Albag, another teenage hostage whose parents I met in Israel. Like Daniela, Liri was abducted from Nahal Oz. She is among the youngest female hostages remaining in Gaza.

The last her family heard from her was 6:30 in the morning on October 7. Liri's mother thought her daughter had ended up in one of the hospitals but soon learned from a Hamas video that she was among those kidnapped. Liri's father says that for the families of these hostages, the uncertainty and fear are killing them. Her mother says she cannot breathe because she does not know if her daughter is breathing.

Daniela, Liri, and three other teenaged girls--19-year-old Karina Ariev, 19-year-old Agam Berger, and 19-year-old Naama Levy--were last seen by several abductees who have since been released. One woman said some of the girls were badly injured but weren't receiving proper medical care. She said that when the girls were sad or crying, their captors would sexually abuse them. She relayed their accounts of sexual abuse at gunpoint on a regular basis. She said the girls told her they could cope with their disabilities but not with the way they were constantly violated.

One of the earliest images that we saw during the October 7 attack was of Naama Levy being dragged by her hair, her hands tied behind her back, thrown into a truck, blood streaming down her face, streaming down her arms, streaming down her back, her sweatpants covered in blood. No one deserves this kind of torture. No one should have to endure such unimaginable abuse--not for 1 day, not for 100 days, not ever.

According to her loved ones, Daniela is a girl who spreads light wherever she goes. She is a talented musician who writes songs, plays the piano, and dreams of becoming a famous singer. Her mom says she pictures Daniela walking through the door and coming home. She implores parents worldwide to imagine their own children in such peril.

Liri is an optimist who puts others before herself. She has lots of friends and loves to travel, to take pictures of her trips, and sing. Her family says she is such a strong girl who enjoys exploring life but that every minute is like an hour without her.

Nineteen-year-old Karina Ariev is a gentle and humble girl. Her loved ones say she often has a wide smile and is always ready to help and support those around her.

Nineteen-year-old Agam Berger--
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Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, 19-year-old Karina Ariev is a gentle and humble girl. Her loved ones say she often has a wide smile and is always ready to help those around her.

Nineteen-year-old Agam Berger is a gifted violinist who volunteers to help disadvantaged populations. Like Karina, she also enjoys helping others and is an optimist who is always smiling.

Naama Levy is a soft-spoken, athletic, and determined girl. She is compassionate and understanding, with a passion for helping those in need.

As a mom, I cannot fathom the anguish these parents are facing. I know every other Senator here cannot fathom the anguish they are facing. All of us must do everything we can to bring them home.

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