A shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night left two Israeli embassy employees dead, as global outrage over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and the United States’ unyielding support continues to intensify.

The two individuals, identified as Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were reportedly leaving an Israeli-linked event at the museum when they were shot. The suspected gunman, Elias Rodriguez, 32, was arrested at the scene. Eyewitnesses say Rodriguez shouted "Free Palestine!" — a defiant cry now echoing in streets and campuses around the world as tens of thousands protest Israel's systematic slaughter of civilians in Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip has led to the deaths of over 53,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The assault, widely condemned as a genocide, has continued unabated with the full military, diplomatic, and financial backing of the United States government.

Rodriguez, originally from Chicago and reportedly in D.C. for a work event, now faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder and crimes related to the deaths of foreign officials. U.S. authorities hinted that terrorism charges may be added — a move critics say reflects the double standard applied when individuals act out of desperation in the face of occupation, apartheid, and international indifference.

Pro-Palestinian voices have urged the public and media not to isolate this incident from the broader context. “This cannot be reduced to a single act of violence,” said Layla Hassan, a spokesperson for a Palestinian solidarity network in Washington. “This is the language of a world that has ignored 122,000 wounded, starved children, bombed hospitals, and the daily massacre of an entire people.”

Activists emphasized that while loss of life is always tragic, the root cause of this spiraling anger is the brutal colonial occupation and the global silence surrounding it. The protest movement, now rapidly spreading across U.S. universities and workplaces, demands an end to military aid to Israel and full accountability for war crimes.

As Rodriguez remains in federal custody, the Biden administration faces increasing pressure to halt its support for Israel and respond meaningfully to growing demands for justice for the Palestinian people. (ILKHA)