Espaillat, Wasserman Schultz Lead Congressional Effort Urging Colombia and Argentina to Bring Dual Citizen Colombian-Israeli and Argentinian-Israeli Hostages Home

WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, Latino-Jewish Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), along with other Caucus members, sent two letters to the Presidents and Ambassadors of Colombia and Argentina to facilitate the immediate release of dual citizen Israeli hostages Elkana Bohbot, Yair Horn, and Eitan Horn, as well as all other hostages currently in Hamas’s custody. 

Elkana, Yair, and Eitan are among the group of 100+ Israeli hostages that remain in Hamas custody after they were kidnapped during Hamas’s October 7th terrorist attack on Israel. In light of the ongoing situation in Gaza and Hamas’s well-documented brutality, there is a critical need for the United States, Colombia, and Argentina to mobilize all available diplomatic resources to bring them home to their families as soon as possible.

Earlier this month, Reps. Espaillat and Wasserman Schultz held a meeting with family members and friends of the hostages still held captive in Gaza. Among them was Dalia Paulina, sister-in-law to Yair and Eitan Horn, who are dual Israeli and Argentinian citizens. The Members also met with Jacob Bohbot, the brother of Elkana Bohbot, who is a dual Colombian and Israeli Citizen. The family members told stories of Elkana, Yair, and Ethan’s life before being taken hostage, and discussed the numerous family members and multiple young children that await their safe return.

“As concerned members of the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus,” said Rep. Espaillat, “we are encouraged by the bravery and tireless advocacy of these hostages’ families, and we look forward to the future engagement of President Petro and the Colombian Embassy, as well as President Milei and the Argentine Embassy, with the Caucus in order to assist Elkana, Yair, and Eitan, and bring them home as soon as possible. These hostages’ chances of survival in Hamas custody continue to hang by a thread with every passing day, necessitating immediate action from all corners of the world. We need action now.

Rep. Espaillat continued, “our congressional letters urge the nations of Colombia and Argentina to use every diplomatic tool at their disposal and leave no stone unturned to help secure the swift and immediate release of Elkana, Yair, Eitan, and all other hostages who remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza.”

“It's unconscionable that innocent civilians from dozens of countries are still being held by Hamas after two months," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. "Part of the founding mission of the Latino-Jewish Caucus is strengthening and deepening the Jewish community's bonds with historic partners like Argentina and Colombia and their diasporas in the U.S. But it's incumbent on all of us to step up our efforts to free all hostages, and despite our disagreements with President Petro and President Milei, we need all the help we can get to reunite these families." 

They were joined in signing the letter by Reps. Yvette D. Clarke, Jared Moskowitz, Brad Schneider, Darren Soto, and Juan Vargas.

The two letters can be read in full here and here.

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov