Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) spoke strongly Thursday about the three kidnapped Israeli boys and called on Hamas to give them back.
Gil-Ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrah, and Naftali Frenkel were kidnapped by members of Hamas late at night on June 12 by "a vicious terrorist organization that seeks Israel’s destruction and has launched thousands of rockets into Israel, causing innocent civilian lives," Cruz told the U.S. Senate Thursday afternoon.
"This should be on the front page of every paper in the United States because this is an issue that is as vital to us as it is to the nation of Israel," Cruz said.
He explained the severe threat of Hamas, and said for the terror group that "sadly, this is business as usual."
Since the kidnapping, Hamas has yet to release any pictures or videos of the young boys. The families do not know what has happened to them.
"Hamas is a violent terrorist organization ready and eager to brutalize the most innocent. Hamas is a terrorist organization that kidnaps three innocent schoolboys," he said.
"Hamas, give those boys back. Hamas, give those boys back now," Cruz said.
Cruz's Chief of Staff, Paul Teller, also emailed, "One thing worth noting is that we had Leehy Shaer, the aunt of one of the kidnapped teens (Gilad Shaer), sitting in the Senate gallery watching Senator Cruz deliver the speech live."
Updated: (7:44 p.m.) This article has been updated to include Paul Teller's comments.