Israel and the War Updates

In the largest pro-Israel gathering in American history, an astounding 290,000-plus people descended upon the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to show their solidarity with Israel, demand the release of hostages held by the Iran-backed terror group Hamas, and call out surging antisemitism.

Amid a global wave of antisemitic harassment, intimidation, and violence, more than 290,000 people from across the United States came together on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. to make clear that Americans stand with Israel and the Jewish community. The March for Israel made clear that we are united against terrorism, against antisemitism, and in our dedication to bring home every hostage being held by Hamas.

On October 7, Hamas killed, raped, tortured, and kidnapped Israeli civilians, including women and children. They take innocent Palestinians as human shields and prevent them from fleeing the combat zone. Hamas indiscriminately shoots rockets at Israeli civilian centers. All of these are clear war crimes and morally abhorrent acts and call into question how the international community could expect Hamas to adhere to a ceasefire.

Saving lives is a core mission of ZAKA—95% of whose volunteers are EMTs—and they are used to doing that under the most difficult of circumstances.

Major influencers on social media, as well as elected officials and mainstream media news and pundits, have amplified Hamas’ messages and presented those messages “pro-Palestinian.” From the "River to the Sea" to claims that Israel is carrying out the "Genocide of the Palestinians" here are seven hateful and harmful slogans that Hamas and its supporters have unleashed, and many of those supporting Palestinians in America have spread.

From diverting economic resources to the endangerment of human lives, these activities not only perpetuate the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza - representing a crime against humanity - but also give Hamas operational advantages in its war against Israel where they win not only when they kill Israeli soldiers, but also when Israel inadvertently harms Palestinian civilians. Here are seven ways Hamas exploits Gaza’s Palestinian civilians to further its genocidal aim to destroy Israel.

Did Israel really bomb a hospital? No. An explosion occurred at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also referred to as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City, where apparently many Palestinians had taken refuge amid the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel. Here is what we know about the situation, how the media is reporting on it, and past incidents of rocket misfires by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

At 6:30 a.m on October 7, 2023, Renana Gomeh’s life changed forever when Iran-backed Hamas terrorists stormed her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and took her two sons, ages 12 and 16, hostage. Listen to Renana’s painful account of what happened two weeks ago, how she is coping, and her mission to bring them home.

Jason Isaacson, AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, joins us to break down U.S. President Joe Biden’s historic wartime visit to Israel and his message to Iran and its terror proxies Hamas and Hezbollah.

Over the weekend, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror group controlling the Gaza Strip, launched an unprecedented, horrific, and brutal attack on Israel. Join AJC CEO Ted Deutch, Lt. Col. (res) Avital Leibovich, AJC Jerusalem Director, and Eyal Hulata, Director, National Security Council of Israel (2021-23) for an update on the situation on the ground.

Here are eight antisemitic terms, tropes, and themes that pervaded anti-Israel protests in May 2021 and again in the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023 that have made life more dangerous for Jews in America.