Republican Congressman Cory Mills has flown to Israel to help evacuate Americans and bring them home. The Floridian Representative reports that he has already helped 32 US citizens leave the region but said hundreds more are still “trapped.” The Army veteran also described how felt compelled to travel to the Middle East to express his solidarity with Israel after it endured the deadliest terrorist attack since 9/11.
The Congressman runs a private security company and was among a team that helped American citizens escape from Afghanistan following the disastrous withdrawal of US troops in 2021.
Fellow Floridian Congressman Brian Mast sparked a storm of controversy on Capitol Hill when he chose to express his support for Israel by wearing an Israeli Defense Force uniform in the House of Representatives. Mr. Mast said he wore the uniform to counter anti-Israel rhetoric from a small group of Democrats, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who displays the Palestinian flag in her office. “Tlaib’s got her flag. I got my uniform,” the Congressman tweeted.
US sources in the Middle East report that at least 30 Americans were killed in Hamas’s attack on Israeli civilians on October 7. Approximately thirteen US citizens are still missing, and Israeli authorities have confirmed that Adrienne Neta, a 66-year-old American who had been missing since the attack, was found dead on October 17.
Among those murdered are Cindy and Igal Flash from St. Paul, Minnesota, who recently moved to Israel following their retirement. Itay Glisko, a 20-year-old US soldier, was also killed in the atrocity. Danielle Waldman from California was one of hundreds of people shot dead by Hamas terrorists at the Super Nova musical festival early in the morning of the attack. Her father wept as he told reporters, “Each and everyone that met her has loved her.”
President Biden arrived in the region on October 18 to reassure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that America remains its steadfast ally in the escalating conflict.
