Brian Lear on WNYC. Time now for our monthly call your senator segment. My questions and yours for Senator Kirsten-Jillerbrand.

So if you're in New York State and she's your senator, or even if you're in one of those other 49

states that shall not be named you are invited to call or text us with a question

for Senator Gillibrand 212 212, 433, WNYC, 433, 9692.

Senator, always good of you to do this.

Welcome back to WNYC.

Thanks so much.

I'm happy to be on.

And let's talk first about the Middle East and U.S. policy and actions there.

I see that you were part of a bipartisan group of senators who met yesterday with families of Israeli and American

hostages still being held by Hamas for more than 100 days now. This is day

104. What was the purpose of the meeting and how would you describe it? I know the families

ask the US government again to do everything you could for their loved ones release?

Well I can tell you the meeting was really heart-wrenching to meet with mothers whose teenage children are being held hostage is indescribable.

I mean, they fear for their lives they fear that they're being

tortured for the young women still being held their parents are afraid they're

being raped and tortured they're afraid that they're not going to survive because

they're not being given any food and sufficient water. And the aid organizations

haven't been allowed in. Normally by international law, the Red Cross should

be able to inspect hostages and their well-being, that's not happened. So it was just very

heart-wrenching because people just are afraid that their loved ones won't survive

another 30 days or 60 days or 90 days.

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