New York City Mayor Eric Adams has issued a public plea for the safe return of an American news reporter stranded in Israel.
Former PIX11 News reporter Rebecca Solomon was visiting family in the city of Rishon LeZion for the Jewish holidays with her husband and infant child when the Hamas militant group launched an unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend, News 12 reports. Rishon LeZion is roughly forty miles from the Gaza Strip.
Israel has ordered a “complete siege” on Gaza in retaliation to Hamas’ attack. According to local media reports, 900 people have been killed in Israel and 500 others in Gaza, while US officials confirmed at least nine American fatalities in the ongoing conflict.
Ms Solomon, who worked as a correspondent for PIX11 until last month, told the network about her desperate attempts to escape the war. Several airlines have cancelled flights and US authorities have yet to announce any plans to evacuate American citizens stranded in the war-torn country.
“When the sun goes down, and it gets dark again, I get scared. I’m scared for what’s to come at night. And that’s just in this area. We already know in the south near Gaza it’s a war zone,” Ms Solomon told PIX 11.
Ms Solomon also told Mediaite that she was sheltering in place in her in-laws’ apartment, which has a bomb shelter. The veteran news reporter said that although the airport was a short 20-minute drive from her in-laws’, she was scared her family would encounter danger while trying to escape the violence.
“Everything has come to a halt. You have some people who are scared and rightfully so, children who have to stay in the bomb shelters and sleep, and it’s scary,” Ms Solomon told Mediaite, adding that she was hoping to find a way to safely leave Israel by Thursday.
She continued: “And then you have people who are no longer active military, they’re in the reserves or what have you, and they are like ‘put me in. I’m ready to fight. I want to serve my country.’ Yes, it’s scary but there’s a lot of strength as well.”
Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement on Monday pleading for Ms Solomon’s safe return. It comes just a day after the mayor condemned pro-Hamas protesters after one of them was seen brandishing a swastika during a protest in Times Square.
“Join us in keeping Rebecca Solomon, the @Pix11news family, and all those affected by this weekend’s terrorist attacks in our thoughts today,” the mayor tweeted. “The bond between New York City and Israel is so strong. These tragic days are felt deeply in the five boroughs.”
Mr Adams addressed the Saturday attacks and the subsequent protest held in Manhattan. Supporters of Israel were separated via a police barricade from backers of the Palestinian cause – one of whom was spotted on the front line holding up a swastika.
“Throughout the day, I’ve been monitoring the protest that started in Times Square and that moved through our streets to outside the Israeli Consulate General’s Office in New York,” Mr Adams said in a statement. “At a moment when innocent people are being slaughtered and children kidnapped in Israel, it is disgusting that this group of extremists would show support for terrorism. I reject this. New York City rejects this. Do not use our streets to spread your hate.”
On Saturday, Hamas militants broke through the border from Gaza and launched the deadliest attack the country has experienced in recent history. Israel has since ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza and cut off supplies of electricity, food and fuel to the Palestinian enclave.
The White House confirmed on Monday that at least nine Americans have been confirmed dead as a result of the ongoing conflict.
“At this time, we can confirm the deaths of nine US citizens,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. “We can confirm that there are unaccounted-for U.S. citizens, and we are working with our Israeli partners to determine their whereabouts.”
Americans who are stranded in Israel can request assistance from the US Embassy here.
