Barbara Lee: Ceasefire Is ‘Crucial to the Release of Hostages’

On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” 2024 U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) stated that there has to be an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict because “The cessation of violence and hostilities is crucial to the release of hostages, it’s crucial to making sure that a regional war does not erupt.”

Lee said, “I have called for a ceasefire, and this should not be mistaken for the lack of support for, and protection and safety for Israelis and Palestinians. And I’m calling for the end of all hostilities, and this means also Hamas, it means Islamic Jihad, it means Hezbollah, all of the hostilities [need] to cease, because a couple of things are happening: First of all, we see, now, probably over 9,000 civilians that have been killed, 3,500 children. The cessation of violence and hostilities is crucial to the release of hostages, it’s crucial to making sure that a regional war does not erupt. We know that that’s on the brink, we’re on the brink. So, we’ve got to have a ceasefire and have a ceasefire immediately.”

Lee added that the humanitarian pause called for by the Biden administration isn’t good enough because there will still be conflict after the pause ends.

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