Hamas attack on Israel shakes Greater Boston
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Israeli artillery forces deployed near the Israel-Gaza border as fighting with Islamist Hamas militants continues. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images
Scores of people and elected officials gathered on Boston Common for a rally in solidarity with Israel on Monday, after attacks by Hamas and the Israeli military killed more than 1,500 people this weekend.
- Dueling protests in support of Palestinians and Israel met outside of Cambridge City Hall, CBS Boston reported.
Driving the news: Brandeis University Professor Emeritus Ilan Troen, who lives in Israel, told NBC Boston that his daughter, Deborah, and his son-in-law died Saturday protecting their 16-year-old son after Hamas invaded their home.
- Troen's grandson, who lay under his mother's body, suffered a gunshot wound but is recovering in a hospital, he said.
- Other victims with Massachusetts ties include a Newton resident's nephew and the father of a Lexington child, said Lital Carmel, a vice president at the Israeli American Council, said at Monday's rally.
Why it matters: The Middle Eastern conflict has shaken families across the world, including in Greater Boston, which has the fourth-largest Jewish community in the U.S.
- Hamas' surprise attack killed at least 11 Americans and some Americans are among those being held hostage in Gaza, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.
Zoom in: Following the attack, local authorities have increased security at synagogues, shuls and temples as a precaution, the Boston Globe reported.
- Still, state police said they see "no specific or credible threats" related to the conflict in Massachusetts.
What they're saying: "Our support is unwavering," Gov. Maura Healey said Monday at the rally on the Common.
- "The atrocities we've seen documented since Saturday morning shock the soul."
Meanwhile, antiwar advocacy nonprofit Massachusetts Peace Action condemned violence against Israeli and Palestinian civilians in a statement and called for a ceasefire.
- "Israelis and Palestinians are both paying the price in blood for an illegal Israeli policy that has been sustained by the tax dollars of U.S. citizens and the unconditional supply of U.S. arms to the Israeli military," the organization wrote.
The latest: The Israeli military announced Monday that it had mobilized 30,000 reserve soldiers to prepare for a possible ground offensive in Gaza.
- Major airlines have canceled flights in and out of Israel.
- President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu military aid is on its way with more to come.
Go deeper: Death toll rises in Israel and Gaza as fighting rages