A bipartisan delegation of US senators, led by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), visited the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem on Monday, marking 500 days since the October 7 attack and the continued captivity of hostages in Gaza. The visit included meetings with families of victims and hostages, as lawmakers reaffirmed US commitment to securing the hostages’ release.
The senators toured the 6:29 – From Darkness to Light exhibition, which presents testimonies from survivors of the October 7 attack. They met with Sharon Sharabi, whose brother Yossi died in Hamas captivity, and Sigal Mansuri, who lost her daughters, Norel and Roya, along with Norel’s fiancé, Amit Cohen, at the Nova Music Festival. Addressing the families, Graham assured them that the US government remains dedicated to bringing every hostage home. “The number one priority of the US government—Democrat and Republican—is to get [the hostages] out, to help your government negotiate for their release, every last one of them,” he said.
Sharabi emphasized the urgency of the situation, telling the delegation, “This is a critical time, a tiny window of opportunity to save all the hostages, to bring them home. We rely on you, the US government, which is making every effort to bring them back.”
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The visiting senators included Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Andy Kim (D-NJ). They were joined by Morgan Ortagus, deputy special presidential envoy for Middle East peace.
Graham, a long-time advocate for Israel, reflected on the significance of the visit, saying, “Here I am, in Israel, 500 days after the second largest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. Evil must be confronted, deterred, and destroyed—it will always return if we are not vigilant.”
The visit coincided with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s trip to the region. Speaking in Jerusalem, Rubio reiterated US support for hostage negotiations, stating, “The hostages need to come home, they need to be released. That must happen. It’s not optional.”
At the Room of Hope, the exhibition’s final section, senators left messages for hostage families and victims’ loved ones, reaffirming their support. Graham’s presence, along with the bipartisan delegation, underscored continued US-Israel ties and the shared priority of securing hostage releases.