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Trip to Israel

Asm. Muratsuchi looks on as guide points to something in distance
Guide holding up spent munition
Multiple memorials featuring photos of victims at the site of the Nova music festival
Ruins of small building hit my munitions
Ruins of home hit my munitions, with banner in front depicting victim
Roped off home with banner in front depicting kidnapping victim
Poster on stand displaying four photos of kidnapping victims
Very large poster on stand displaying multiple photos of kidnapping victims
Multiple photos of kidnapping victims displayed alongside moving walkway
Electronic mobile sign displaying time in days, hours, minutes and seconds with flags and other items in front

I recently joined a legislative delegation to bear witness to the Israel-Hamas war and its ongoing impact on the Jewish and Muslim communities in California.

We met families of hostages, both Israeli and Palestinian. Many families of hostages have relatives in California.

We visited the Gaza border, including Kfar Aza, one mile from Gaza, where Hamas murdered 63 people and kidnapped 19 still missing since October 7. We heard booms of artillery exploding in Gaza and the constant buzzing of military drones. We could not visit Gaza.

We also visited the site of the Nova music festival, where Hamas murdered, raped, and kidnapped hundreds of young people whose images stand at the memorial site.

War is horrifying for Israelis and Palestinians. I pray for the release of the Israeli hostages. I pray for an end to the civilian carnage. As both Palestinians and Israelis told us, the two-state solution, the coexistence of a Jewish state and a Palestinian state, should continue to be the goal that we aspire to.

Thank you to all who made this trip possible. No public or campaign funds paid for this trip.