FBI Director Christopher Wray announced today, Tuesday, that the attack launched by Hamas on Israel represents the largest terror threat to the United States since the emergence of ISIS about a decade ago. Wray stated during a congressional session that several foreign organizations have called for attacks on Americans and the West since the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza this month, significantly increasing the threat posed by American extremists domestically. He said, "Hamas and its allies' actions will serve as an inspiration unlike anything we have seen since ISIS declared what it called a caliphate several years ago."
These statements were made during a session before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which focused on the threats facing the United States. American officials indicate that the government has noticed an increase in threats against Arab, Jewish, and Muslim Americans since the fighting in Gaza erupted.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas stated that the hatred directed at Jewish students in the U.S. following the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza has exacerbated the rates of anti-Semitism in the country. The White House expressed concern this week regarding reports of anti-Semitism at U.S. universities. Tensions have risen between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups at several universities, including several in New York, prompting university officials to tighten security measures. Mayorkas stated, "The hatred directed at Jewish students, communities, and institutions is exacerbating the pre-existing increase in anti-Semitism both in the United States and around the world."
