Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, alongside Senators Roger Wicker and Jim Risch, has joined forces with 11 other Senate colleagues in urging several federal agencies to focus on the elimination of Hamas. The letter was addressed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of State, among others.

The senators stated, "The defeat of Hamas is within reach, and ending the safe haven that its leadership enjoys abroad is vital to defeating it." They further pressed for quick action against Hamas following a terrorist massacre on October 7, 2023.

The call for action comes in the wake of President Trump's recent reelection and Qatar's announcement that Hamas would no longer be welcome there. This development is seen as a result of pressure from Senate Republicans.

Other senators supporting this initiative include Ted Budd, Tom Cotton, Kevin Cramer, Ted Cruz, Joni Ernst, Deb Fischer, Pete Ricketts, Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, and Dan Sullivan.

In their communication to Secretary Blinken and Attorney General Garland, the senators highlighted the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli forces as an opportunity for compelling Hamas' surrender. They emphasized the need for swift actions against remaining leaders to dismantle the organization responsible for significant loss of life and hostage-taking on October 7.

The senators called for reversing current U.S. policies towards Qatar that allow it to host Hamas leaders who have opposed ceasefire negotiations. They urged actions like freezing assets and restricting international travel for these leaders.

Additionally, they requested extradition proceedings against Khaled Meshal residing in Qatar after indictments were unsealed against him on September 3. They also sought indictments against Khalil Al-Hayya for his alleged role in orchestrating attacks with support from Iran and Hezbollah.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and serves on several committees including Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs.