Suspect Kills Two Israeli Staffers Outside DC Jewish Museum

Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old from Chicago with ties to far-left groups including the Party for Socialism and Liberation, carried out a deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., killing two Israeli embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, and wounding two others. Rodriguez reportedly shouted "Free, free Palestine" during the attack and later told police he did it in support of Gaza and Palestine. The murders have been celebrated by pro-Hamas groups, Iran-backed militias, and hardline pro-Palestinian social media accounts, who have hailed the attack as a "heroic" and courageous act against Israel. Opposition social media voices condemned the victims, framing them as part of what they describe as an oppressive Israeli regime, while some far-left activists and organizations have been criticized for either supporting or failing to disavow Rodriguez. Both victims were involved in efforts to promote peace and humanitarian aid between Israelis and Palestinians, which further fueled the outrage and polarization following the attack. The incident has sparked a complex discourse involving terrorism, political radicalization, and international conflict, highlighting tensions within U.S. social and political spheres over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.