WASHINGTON – On the second anniversary of the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) proposed bipartisan legislation that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to all hostages held by Hamas after the attack.
During a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol, the lawmaker also introduced a resolution that condemns Hamas and calls for their surrender and the release of the remaining hostages. The bipartisan October 7th Remembrance Education Act would also direct the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to build a curriculum for students to learn about the events of Oct. 7 and how anti-semitism led to the attacks.
“We will fight to honor their memories and so many others by molding our pain of that tragic day into action. And, ensuring American children know their heroism in the savagery of Hamas terrorists,” Rep. Gottheimer said.
The proposed legislation comes amidst negotiations over President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan that seeks to end the bloody conflict. Rep. Gottheimer said he supports the overall objective of the peace plan and urged Hamas to agree to it as well.
“I think the objectives are clear, I think Israel has accepted them, the President is behind them, many of us are supportive of that objective. Now, it’s up to Hamas to actually accept the plan,” Rep. Gottheimer said.
Yet, many pro-Palestinian advocates have expressed concerns with the peace plan.
On Oct. 4, advocacy groups and protesters came together to rally in Washington. One group that attended the rally was the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition. Ben Zinevich, the D.C. regional coordinator of the coalition, believes Trump’s peace plan will not actually benefit Palestinians.
“Congress has shown, as a body, that it really is beholden to the Zionist project. I think that we’ve seen that over the last two years, there’s really not been a move to recognize what this is as a genocide and rather just hone in as if history began on October 7, 2023,” Zinevich said.
Protesters gather for the “Rise Up for Gaza” rally on Oct. 4. (Isabella Jacob/MNS)
Josh Ruebner, a professor at Georgetown University’s Justice and Peace Studies program, also has serious concerns about Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
“It denies Palestinian self-determination. Gaza will not be governed by Palestinians for the benefit of the Palestinian people, but under Trump’s 20-point plan, it will be governed by an international board of directors, ostensibly for the benefit of Trump,” Ruebner said.
Furthermore, he is concerned that this plan will bring anything but peace.
“It [the plan] doesn’t ensure any type of just and lasting peace, because it doesn’t go to the heart of any of the matters that divide Palestinians and Israelis…So this is not a recipe for peace, but a recipe for the ongoing subjugation of the Palestinian people,” Ruebner said.
He fears there will be ongoing violence given Israel’s past actions. He referenced the negotiations that took place in January between Israel and Hamas that would have resulted in the exchange of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian captives and would have resulted in a permanent ceasefire. But in March of 2025, Israel broke the ceasefire due to Hamas refusing to accept the terms proposed by the U.S.
“There’s absolutely no mechanism in place that would hold Israel accountable should it decide to violate the terms of the agreement again,” Ruebner said.
As of Oct. 8, Hamas and Israel are negotiating the terms of the peace plan in Egypt alongside U.S. and Qatari officials, according to the New York Times.
