Absolutely mind blowing that Eshoo, whose family fled the Armenian genocide is not aggressively pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. Nearly two MILLION people have been displaced from their homes, most of which have been damaged or destroyed. They have limited shelter, sanitation facilities are shockingly overwhelmed, most are going without food and are desperate to find safe water to drink. Israel has rendered every hospital in Gaza non-functional despite more than 80,000 killed or seriously injured people including thousands of amputees, many of them children. Whether you call it collective punishment, ethnic cleansing or genocide this is a clear violation of the Geneva convention to which both Israel and the US are signatories. This is being done with American weapons paid for with American taxpayers money with diplomatic protection provided by American politicians. Eshoo wrote in her resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide “ This resolution not only honors and commemorates my ancestors and all those who perished in the first genocide of the 20th century, but serves as a timely reminder that we must remain vigilant to prevent similar atrocities today." What happened to Eshoo’s vigilance to prevent similar atrocities today???

I’m happy that the parents of these children have raised them to show concern for victims of war. I hope their parents have also told them that the fastest way to a cease fire in Gaza is for Hamas to release the hostages.

There WAS a ceasefire in effect on October 6th.

The war in Gaza is a tragedy. The unfortunate reality is that Hamas initiated it and publicly declares again and again that the atrocities on October 7th were just the beginning, and they will do it again and again. I am sure that the kids in the article are not aware of the details, but the parents should. Therefore, the only way to prevent any of these deaths on both sides of the border is to remove Hamas from power. If this doesn't happen, the next round will be much worse on both sides.

Calling it a genocide is far from the truth and it's nothing more than a political slogan. The Israeli military is trying to minimize civilian casualties while Hamas is trying to maximize them. A cease fire can start tomorrow if Hamas lay down their weapons and recognize the right of Israel and its citizens to exist and to live peacefully.

The children ask "why?" and the parents should know the answer. Hamas doesn't value life and systematically teaches hate to children. They are proud to be martyrs. As long as this radicalism is in power (and supported around the world), wars are unfortunately unavoidable. So while children should be naive, we as parents should face the complexity and figure out a way to build a safer world for our children rather than leverage them for a political agenda.

U.S. Congress cannot control what another country does in war. Congress has some control over U.S. military spending. The U.S. can use that leverage diplomatically to try to influence both sides and move them toward peace. Our President with Congress and the State Department have done so to the extent that they can.

These well-meaning advocates for Palestinians should be talking to Hamas, who provoked the current conflict by initiating a guerilla attack, brutally gang raping, torturing, butchering and burning alive unarmed Israeli civilians and celebrating these abhorrent acts on video, taking hostages.

Hamas' attack was designed to provoke a terrified and outraged response. They achieved their aim. Hamas has chosen to use civilian Israelis and now civilian Palestinians as sacrificial lambs in their terrorist strategy, and Netanyahu strode predictably into their trap. Hamas planned the attack for years, building tunnels to move and hide in, but Hamas apparently made no plan to protect Palestinian civilians from the Israeli military response they deliberately instigated. Consider: WHY didn't Hamas plan for the safety of Palestinians as they planned to spark this war?

Hamas could stop this, but they want the conflagration to spread. Imagery of suffering, unprotected, vulnerable Palestinians is being used as a tool to garner support for their long-time terrorist aim, to destroy Israel. This is what happens when terrorist organizations like Hamas and authoritarian leaders, like Netanyahu, are given governmental control. Terror. Suffering. War.

Both Netanyahu and Hamas leaders have been reckless and brutal. Together, they are responsible for the suffering of innocents on both sides. This is what authoritarian, hateful leadership engenders in the world. Leadership on both sides has wronged the people. People of both nations should hold their own leadership accountable for their decisions and actions. Let go of hate. Lift up better leaders.

These children are too young to understand that we cannot surrender to evil. Just as Hitler had to be defeated, so Hamas must be defeated. Israel is making every possible effort to save civilian lives.

Rep. Eshoo, you are correct - no ceasefire. Hamas must not be allowed to do what they openly say they will do, which is to repeat their savage attack.

To poster "Consider Your Options" - Well said! A ceasefire requires that BOTH sides stop fighting. In this case, neither side seems willing to do that. Netanyahu wants to stay in power. Hamas leadership wants to obliterate Israel regardless of the cost to the Palestinian people. It's horrific. Pres. Biden and others have been working on this behind the scenes constantly to try to get the sides to work something out and to get the hostages returned. But as ha been said, other governments only had so much influence. Ultimately, it's up to Israel's and Hamas' leadership.

Will these children also demand that Hamas renounce terrorism and return the hostages? Will they condemn the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians (Jewish AND Muslim) and Hamas's practice of building tunnels under civilian infrastructure, thus using those Palestinian civilians as human shields? Will they condemn the involvement of Iran and Russia in encouraging Hamas to kill as many Israelis as possible and "liberate" Israel? Until all this happens, a ceasefire cannot happen and Anna Eshoo is doing the right thing.

The US has created the Frankenstein that is systematically making Gaza unlivable, killing and maiming tens of thousands of innocent civilians in the process. The US has provided funding, weapons and protection from the IJC and ICC while Israel has built illegal settlements housing 700,000 Israelis on Palestinian lands all the while denying 98% of Palestinian building permit requests and demolishing thousands of Palestinian homes, schools, wells and other structures. The list of violations of the Geneva Convention and international law committed by Israel could fill pages, but our government has continued to fund and arm Israel until today Israel believes it can completely destroy Gaza with impunity. If our government would cut off the funding and weapons, support ceasefire resolutions in the UN and take appropriate measures to bring perpetrators of war crimes committed by both Israel and Hamas to the ICC, the fighting would stop.

It's a tragedy. Hamas is a horrible terrorist organization and it is horrific what they did. The reality is that Israel is also occupying Palestinian territory and millions have been displaced and continue to be. The Brits screwed up the whole region when they left like they did with the rest of the countries they colonized. The US is not helping by taking sides and supplying Israel with weapons paid for by the taxpayers. Also historically the US' foreign policy tends to be against the Muslim Middle East and people of color. At the end of the day in all of this wheeling, dealing and politics, it's the innocent people on both sides, especially the kids who pay the price. I hope the war ends, Israel stops bullying Palestinians, gives their land back to them and Hamas and all Islamic terrorist organizations are destroyed.

Bravo to these children and their parents. Israel should ceasefire now and begin negotiations to swap the hostages held by Hamas for the prisoners/hostages held by Israel. Very simple.

These children appear to identify with the plight of the Gazan children, which is easy to do frankly. They know that all lives matter equally: Gazan, Israeli, Lebanese.

It’s long overdue that Joe Biden tell the Israelis: no more money or weapons from the US. You are on your own. Come talk to us on the day after. The US taxpayer wants no part of this “war”.

Thanks again to the children and their parents who came forward. My heart is full.

First, I applaud these children and parents. I’m sure these kids have seen pictures/videos on their smartphones of Gazan children being pulled from the rubble.

Second, Noel’s comments above are spot on accurate. I encourage that they be repeatedly read.

Third, Israel can end this right now by unilaterally ceasing fire and begin negotiating for a swap of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages. Easy to do. Remember that Israel has a 30 foot fortified wall around the perimeter of the strip. They had the strip under siege since Oct 8. No food, medicine, electricity, … etc.

Lastly, my heart is full that these kids and parents went to Eshoo’s office to demand Israel cease fire. Their hostages are starving due to the siege, and I don’t see any indication that Israel is making a swap more then a tertiary priority.

These children are being manipulated by their parents. Kids “as young as 6 years old” obviously do not have the capacity to evaluate the complexity of this situation. I would like a cease-fire, too. However, I would never use a child as a prop to gain support for my views. But I guess the stunt worked: The parents got an article in the newspaper.

Using children for political posing is not a good idea. Hamas are putting children in the way of the IDF and hiding their leaders, their weapons, etc. under their schools, their hospitals and other places where vulnerable children have been placed to shield them.

I think it is important that the children going to Eshoos office are told these things too.

Last observation: for those that say these kids are too young to understand Israel’s “war” on Gaza or that their parents are manipulating them on behalf of Hamas, I say read the article. Observe the lead photo: a Palestinian kid wearing a keffiyeh. He has family in the Strip. Do you mean to tell me he doesn’t understand what Israel is doing? He’s too young to understand that South Africa has taken Israel to the ICC on charges of genocide and ethnic cleansing? [Portion removed.]

I also strongly disagree with using children in protests or similar virtue-signaling, and I hope Congresswoman Eshoo’s office recognizes this manipulation and instead evaluates responses/advice given by adult members of the public who are her constituents. Her job is to represent her constituents.

The Oct. 7 attack on Israel was the worst massacre of Jews since WW II.

A ceasefire in Gaza will not really help ordinary Gaza residents, however terrible their situation. Hamas will only regroup and rearm for the next inevitable conflict, with more suffering for ordinary Gaza residents. Hamas has publicly stated that attacks on Israel will continue, until Israel is destroyed, and everyone killed.

Israel must be allowed the same right as every other country in the world,to defend its citizens from hostile attack. A ceasefire now would prevent Israel from fully protecting itself and only guarantee future wars and more suffering in Gaza.

There is a fuel shortage now in Gaza, yet Hamas has plenty of fuel for the rockets that it continues to fire daily into Israel. Hamas claims no responsibility for the residents affected by the war, and they say that responsibility for those people rests with aid agencies not them. Hamas steals food and fuel from aid convoys.

Please do not entertain requests for a one-sided and ultimately anti-Semitic ceasefire that will only ensure future conflict and suffering.