TAMPA, Fla. – Recently, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell made comments about how Hamas continuing to hold Jewish hostages, some of whom are American citizens, is Israeli PM Netanyahu’s fault, not Hamas.

In an interview Mucarsel-Powell said, “I think it’s the responsibility of the prime minister to do everything in his power to negotiate so that the hostages can be released.”

It is, of course, insensitive and completely out-of-touch to suggest those being held hostage are the ones responsible for their release and not those holding them hostage.

An estimated 104 hostages remain from Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. Hamas also is holding onto an unknown number of dead bodies, refusing to release them back to the families of those murdered.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell has remained silent on Hamas’ cowardly attack on civilians and their inhuman treatment of hostages and those they have murdered.

Statement from Team Rick Scott Spokesman Will Hampson: “Hamas’ actions on October 7 were pure evil, and so has been their holding of innocent men, women, and children as hostages for nearly a year. Anyone with a soul should be able to condemn this and call for those hostages to be returned home. However, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell continues to be afraid of her pro-terrorist base and wants to blame PM Netanyahu for the hostages remaining in captivity, not those holding them captive. Mucarsel-Powell is a coward who will lose in November when the people of Florida see she will excuse terrorism if it helps her political ambitions.”

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