Ongoing Hostage Crisis

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding to me.

As co-chair of the bipartisan Latino-Jewish Caucus, I rise today to tell an important story. There are many hostages. Over 100 hostages have been held for 115 days from all walks of life. Children, a 1-year- old child, seniors, women, and family members are being held hostage. I rise today to tell the story of a 34-year-old Israeli-Colombian hostage by the name of Elkana Bohbot, whose family I met this past December.

Elkana is not just an Israeli-Colombian. He is the beloved sibling of Jacob and Uriel Bohbot, the loving husband of Geraldyn Bohbot, and the dad of a 3-year-old.

Before October 7, Elkana had just opened up an ice cream shop in Tel Aviv and was looking forward to taking his 3-year-old son there for the first time.

Just imagine that, Mr. Speaker: a dad opening up an ice cream store and just waiting to see how his 3-year-old son will react when he first tastes that chocolate, that vanilla, or that strawberry ice cream.

I think we could identify with the magic of that moment. Yet now, every passing day for Elkana and his family are a waking nightmare. The last time Elkana's family saw him was in a Hamas video that was taken on October 7 alongside other hostages, and, in it, Elkana was severely injured.

Elkana has been forced to survive each passing day in the depths of Hamas tunnels without ventilation or fresh air fighting through asthma attacks because he is asthmatic without his medication.

At 115 days, Mr. Speaker, Elkana's life is hanging in the balance. Every day is a day of hope for all of us, and we will not give up on our actions to bring Elkana Bohbot home, as well as the other hostages.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York--where I am originally from--for his incredible leadership and work to bring the Hispanic and Jewish communities together so that we can continue to fight oppression against both of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning). She is someone who has become a dear friend of mine. She sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee and has been a national Jewish community leader.

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