Dear Secretary Blinken,

We, the undersigned United States citizens, appreciate your work towards establishing a lasting cease fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. We firmly believe additional pressure needs to be brought on Hamas to encourage the return of the bodies of Israel Defense Forces soldiers Lt. Hadar Goldin and Sgt. Oron Shaul, and the release of civilian hostages Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed. We remind you that Hadar Goldin and two other Israeli soldiers were killed seven years ago by Hamas during a UN and US mandated, and EU supported, humanitarian ceasefire. Oron Shaul was killed and his body taken during battle. The families of the civilian hostages say that their sons suffer from mental illness.

The refusal by Hamas to repatriate the remains of these soldiers constitutes an egregious violation of the most fundamental principles of human rights and dignity, and is a violation of the Geneva Conventions and international law. The refusal to release these civilian hostages is cruel and inhumane.

Ongoing negotiations over the rebuilding of Gaza present a unique opportunity to resolve this disgrace. The repatriation of these bodies and the release of these individuals must be essential elements of any international effort to provide resources for reconstruction efforts in Gaza.