Kentucky Republican: Hostage rescue ‘would have never happened’ with cease-fire

Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) argued the recent hostage rescue in Gaza, where four Israelis were recovered, “would have never happened” had a cease-fire been in place. 

Barr praised Israel’s efforts in the operation and slammed “extreme far-left anti-semitic” voices who have been calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. 

“This good news would have never happened with a ceasefire,” Barr said in a Saturday morning post on social media platform X. “Thank God Israel’s leaders have ignored the extreme far-left antisemitic voices on America’s college campuses, at the United Nations and even in Congress calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The operation must continue until every hostage is rescued or recovered.” 

The Israeli military said Saturday that it, along with two other entities — Israel Police and Israel Securities Authority — rescued four hostages in a special operation from two locations in central Gaza. 

All four hostages rescued were kidnapped by the Palestinian militant group Hamas from the Nova music festival, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Israeli military said the recovered hostages were in “good” medical condition and were transferred to a medical center for further examination. 

Pro-Palestinian supporters have for months been calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, pointing to the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza and the overall destruction of the enclave from Israel’s continued bombardment.

President Biden shared a three-step Israel-led proposal last week that included a six-week cease-fire. The proposal, if accepted by all sides, would prompt a withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza’s populated areas and the release of all hostages. The plan, while still being deliberated by all sides, has gotten some pushback from U.S. adversaries, Russia and China, at the United Nations, with Moscow asking for amendments in the resolution. 

The war started following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel which left nearly 1,200 dead and saw the Palestinian militant group take more than 200 people hostage.

Israel’s forces retaliated with a ground and air campaign, now in its eighth month, that has killed over 36,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The death count does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.