Rep. Pressley Statement Marking Three-Year Somber Anniversary of October 7th Attack

October 7, 2026 Rep. Pressley Statement Marking Three-Year Somber Anniversary of October 7th Attack BOSTO N – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement marking the three-year anniversary of the horrific October 7th attack by Hamas, and the Israeli military’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and attacks across the Middle East. Congresswoman Pressley has consistently called for humanitarian aid and meaningful, lasting peace and a ceasefire in Gaza to save the lives of civilians, hostages, Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans. “As we mark three years since the October 7 th attack, it is incumbent upon us all to center the humanity of every impacted individual and honor those whose lives were taken in such inhumane, horrifying acts on that day and every day since. The world watched in horror as Hamas senselessly murdered and took hostage Americans, Israelis, elders, babies, parents, and others. During the past three years, the world has borne witness to the horrors of the Israeli military’s genocide against the Palestinian people, children, women, elders, people with disabilities, and so many innocent civilians and families who have suffered unimaginable loss, cried for help, and grieved as a result. “We must renew our calls for action. That means ending this horrific and ongoing genocide, surging humanitarian aid and prioritizing medical evacuation, cutting off U.S. taxpayer dollars to arm the Israeli military, leveraging diplomacy to de-escalate broader regional conflict, and enforcing a true, lasting, and meaningful ceasefire. “Every day that goes by without our action is another day the United States is actively supporting the Israeli military’s massacre and destruction, and another day that innocent people across the region—including Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, Iranians, and more—are subjected to violence, displacement, starvation, and death. “Since that horrific day, I have sat with the loved ones of hostages, those who were killed, and those we’ve lost in the three years since—and I carry their stories with me daily. Time and again, they have spoken of our shared humanity. They’ve joined our broad, diverse coalition for a lasting peace. And they remind us daily that our freedoms and our destinies are tied. “Today, I remain fiercely committed to pushing for the safety and survival of every individual impacted. I keep close to my heart that every life is a universe, every person killed was someone’s child, parent, grandparent, and beloved community member.” Since the horrific October 7 th attack, Congresswoman Pressley has consistently and stridently called for a ceasefire to save lives, return all hostages, and surge humanitarian aid to Gaza. In December 2025, Rep. Pressley made an urgent plea to her fellow Members of Congress to advance humanitarian action to save children in Gaza. In September 2025, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Delia Ramírez (IL-03), actors Cynthia Nixon and Morgan Spector, Mahmoud Khalil, Dr. Adil Husain, Congressional colleagues, and advocates to call for the passage of H.R. 3565, the Block the Bombs Act, to save lives and withhold the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli government and demand the Israeli military’s compliance with U.S. and international law. In August 2025, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) led 101 of their colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to use its full power and authority to demand that Israeli government immediately facilitate a massive surge in all humanitarian aid, and in particular infant formula, into Gaza to address the crisis of starvation. After receiving no response and no action from Secretary Marco Rubio, Reps. Pressley and Pettersen condemned his silence and renewed their call for an immediate surge in infant formula and humanitarian aid. Upon receiving a lacking written response from the State Department, Reps. Pressley and Pettersen doubled down on their demands . In April 2024, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she called for urgent de-escalation in the region and renewed her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel to prevent a broader regional war. Rep. Pressley introduced a pair of amendments to increase funding to global humanitarian assistance and place a one-year moratorium on the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli military. In August 2026, Rep. Pressley joined Rep. Tlaib in leading 39 members of Congress in calling on Secretary Marco Rubio to organize the immediate and permanent release of U.S. citizen Sama Safi , a 20-year-old student with a severe chronic health condition, from Israeli military prison. In June 2026, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech urging her colleagues to support Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s Lebanon War Powers Resolution, H.Con.Res.84, to protect lives in Lebanon and stop Trump’s support of Netanyahu’s human rights violations. In her remarks, Congresswoman Pressley called on Congress to end its complicity in these deadly attacks and defend innocent lives. In April 2026, Rep. Pressley condemned Trump’s genocidal threat against Iran and demanded immediately accountability for his lawless war. In March 2026, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful speech on the House floor condemning Donald Trump waging an endless war in Iran with no regard for human life. In March 2026, Rep. Pressley, Senator Warren, and the entire Massachusetts delegation pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to explain the Trump administration’s “complete failure” to evacuate U.S. citizens — including Massachusetts residents — from the Middle East following the administration’s starting a reckless war in Iran. Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and their colleagues on a resolution condemning Hamas’ brutal attack and hostage-taking, and demanding Hamas immediately release all hostages. Rep. Pressley joined Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and 50 colleagues on a letter condemning the terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel, calling for Israeli military operations to follow the rules of international humanitarian law, and continuing to work toward peace in the region. Rep. Pressley marked the two-year anniversary of the horrific October 7 th attack in a strident statement. Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in announcing a resolution urging the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible. She later joined her colleagues and a multi-faith, multiracial coalition of faith leaders and organizers for a prayer and press conference to renew their calls for a ceasefire . Rep. Pressley also joined dozens of rabbis and Members of Congress for a press conference to renew calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Instead of attending Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress, Rep. Pressley spent the day centering people directly impacted by Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she condemned antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate on college campuses. Rep. Pressley joined a coalition of nearly 100 interfaith clergy and faith leaders on a joint statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rep. Pressley joined Reps. Grace Meng (D-NY), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and nearly 150 colleagues in urging the State Department to use all tools at its disposal help get Americans out of Israel and back home to the United States. She applauded the State Department for heeding her calls on October 12, 2023 and continues to press for the urgent evacuation of Americans in Gaza. Rep. Pressley issued a statement following the safe evacuation of Massachusetts constituents Wafaa and Abood Okal and their one-year-old Yousef from Gaza. Rep. Pressley and Rep. Jamie Raskin led a group of 60 House lawmakers in urging the State Department to affirm the United States’ strong opposition to the forced and permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, and to support an increase in humanitarian aid to the region. Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mark Pocan (WI-2), Betty McCollum (MN-4) and 20 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden, asking him to support a bilateral ceasefire in Gaza to protect the one million children living there. Rep. Pressley joined a coalition of interfaith clergy and faith leaders for a vigil to mourn the tens of thousands of Palestinians, Israelis, and innocent civilians killed since October 7 th , and to renew calls for a ceasefire to save lives, return all hostages, and deliver humanitarian aid to the region. Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues at a press conference to condemn the Israeli government’s pending invasion of Rafah and continued her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in calling for full funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide urgent humanitarian relief to Gaza. Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Joaquín Castro, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakowsky and 33 House Democrats to President Biden urging him to prevent an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah. Rep. Pressley, amid heightened tensions in the region, delivered a floor speech in which she called for urgent de-escalation in the Middle East and renewed her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza to prevent a broader regional war. Rep. Pressley filed a pair of amendments to increase funding to global humanitarian assistance and place a one-year moratorium on the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli military. The amendments were not adopted in the final legislation. Rep. Pressley voted against HR 8034 to send more offensive weapons and funding to the Israeli military, citing the Israeli military’s callous disregard for human life in Gaza and significant human rights violations. Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the peaceful student protests taking place in Massachusetts and across the country. Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Boston City Council for passing a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rep. Pressley joined Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and 54 additional lawmakers in calling on the Biden Administration to use all tools possible to dissuade the Israeli government from moving forward with an offensive invasion into Rafah. Rep. Pressley issued a statement in response to the escalating situation in the Middle East. Rep. Pressley joined impacted families, faith leaders, and advocates to observe the anniversary of the horrific October 7, 2023 attack and commemorate the 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas, the hostages killed and those still kidnapped, and the over 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed by the Israeli military over the past year. Rep. Pressley issued a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the horrific October 7 th attack. Rep. Pressley issued a statement urging the Senate to support Senator Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval that would block the sale of offensive arms to the Israeli government. Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the ceasefire-hostage deal reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. Rep. Pressley is a co-sponsor of the Block the Bombs Act , which would withhold the transfer of offensive weapons to the Israeli government and demand the Israeli military’s compliance with U.S. and international law. ### Back to News Next Article Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email