Families of Hamas hostages plead for US support during emotional press conference with Republicans: Mother of 26-year-old taken at music festival says every day is ‘like an eternity’ and calls for more aid to Israel

The American mother of a Hamas hostage gave heartbreaking testimony Tuesday about her last conversation with her son, as families pleaded for more U.S. help to rescue their relatives.

Doris Lieber described how Guy, 26, had gone to the Nova music festival which was targeted by terrorists a month ago.

She said she called him when sirens sounded around her house on Oct. 7.

His friends were murdered and he was shot trying to escape before being captured.

“I’m here because it’s been thirty days. For me, every day is an eternity,” she told a news conference on Capitol Hill, her voice bursting with emotion.

“And I can’t wait any longer because I know he’s been shot.”

Now is the time for the US to step up and do more, she added.

“I am part of your people, you are part of Israel and America has been like the best ally,” the New York-born Israeli said. “I’m so proud to be an American, but also an Israeli. But I really need you right now.”

Republican leaders held the press conference to mark one month since the terrorist attack.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “As we commemorate the one-month anniversary of this attack, House Republicans have met with and heard from family members of some of the victims, not only to to understand sorrow, pain and worry, but to make clear why Israel must do everything in its power to eradicate Hamas and ensure that what happened on October 7 can never happen again.”

Israel has continuously bombed the Gaza Strip, where Hamas has its headquarters, since the attack.

However, the government is under intense pressure to facilitate the attack and allow the injured to get out and provide aid.

World opinion has turned against Israel as the death toll in Gaza has risen. The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said the number of deaths exceeded 10,000 on Monday.

Republicans in the House of Representatives, joined by 12 Democrats, last week passed a bill proposing to send $14 billion in aid to Israel as long as it comes with cuts to the IRS, a trade-off that Democratic senators say they will reject.

Johnson, who has been accused of playing politics with Israel, urged the Senate to pass the legislation.

“We cannot waste any more time in getting Israel the help it so desperately needs,” he said.

Liber holds up a poster of her son’s best friend, Almog Sarusi, who has also been taken hostage. With her are Representative Elise Stefanik and House Speaker Mike Johnson at a news conference on Capitol Hill

Almog (left) and Guy together in a photo

Liran Berman, whose twin brothers Ziv and Gali Berman were taken by Hamas, speaks with other family members during a press conference on Capitol Hill

Yonatan Lulu-Shamariz described how he was awakened on Saturday morning by the sound of a terrorist attack on his kibbutz house. He rushed his wife and daughter to their safe room.

And then the messages from others in the kibbutz start coming in.

“The terrorists enter houses and start killing people,” he said. “Families…babies.”

His younger brother Alon Shamriz, 26, sent him a message saying he had been called to take his weapon and defend the kibbutz.

Then another message came saying he heard terrorists had entered his house.

“So I wrote him a message saying I love him and I’m strong,” Lulu-Shamariz said. “He sent me a heart emoji and that was the last time we spoke.”

He said it was crucial to do whatever was necessary to ensure the events of October 7 could not be repeated.

“This is a wake-up call, not just for Israel, not just for the Jewish community. This is a wake-up call for all of you – all of you here, all of America, all of Europe,” he said.

‘You are next. You are next.

“And we must do everything we can to stop these atrocities.”