WILMINGTON, Del. - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement on the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel:

"Three years on, the wounds left from Hamas' brutal attack on Israeli civilians are still just as painful and devastating. One thousand two hundred souls were ripped away from their families and their futures, and 251 more were taken hostage in an attempt to destroy Israel's spirit. In that, the attack failed. In meetings with the families of hostages and victims of the attacks, I've seen a strength and will to turn pain into progress I could not have imagined. Their perseverance in their search for justice has touched so many lives and cannot be forgotten. Together, we must continue to work toward a just and lasting peace in the region.

"May the memory of those lost always be a blessing, and may they continue to live on in the hearts of those who loved them - and in the hearts of all of us who remember them around the world."