Ilhan Omar Calls For Protection Of Palestinians After Attack On Israel

MINNEAPOLIS — Rep. Ilhan Omar is calling for the international community to protect Palestinians after Israeli civilians and soldiers were attacked by Hamas over the weekend.

"Reminder, Gaza doesn’t have shelters or an iron dome and to please pray for them," she said in a statement.

"May peace prevail in the region and move us towards a moral awakening to care about the human suffering we are seeing. Palestinians are human beings who have been in besieged and are deserving of protection from the international community."

The Minnesota Democrat's initial response to the attack condemned "the horrific acts we are seeing unfold today in Israel against children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed people who are being slaughtered and taken hostage by Hamas."

She called for de-escalation and a ceasefire.

Omar also shared an opinion article on social media that claims Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, bears responsibility for the Israel-Gaza war.

According to the New York Times, at least 700 Israelis and 413 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday. "Several" U.S. citizens are among the dead, a National Security Council spokesperson told the Times.

As of Sunday night, Israeli troops continue to fight to expel Palestinian militants from Israeli territory.

"We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," Netanyahu said in his own statement, adding that Israel’s military had "begun the offensive phase, which will continue with neither limitations nor respite until the objectives are achieved."