WASHINGTON — With plans of a "complete siege" of Gaza following the surprise deadly attacks in Israel by Hamas over the weekend, residents across the DMV worry what the war could mean for loved ones overseas.
A Maryland father, who only wanted to go by his first name Daniel, worries for his family in Israel including his brother. Daniel said his 27-year-old brother, a reservist with the Israeli military, was drafted on Saturday.
“Honestly, I couldn’t sleep at all last night,” Daniel told WUSA9. “I’m very close with my brother. The fact that I can’t call him and talk to him to make sure he’s OK is very concerning. It’s very scary.”
Israel mobilized a staggering 300,000 reservists in response to the Hamas attacks. Israel has since bombarded Gaza Strip with airstrikes, reaching the total numbers of Israelis and Palestinians killed to more than 1,300, which includes at least 11 Americans. U.S. officials say there are others who are remain unaccounted for.
Daniel said his brother recently began training again a few months ago. He also has relatives in Israel including his mother, but they are doing OK.
“They’re just people,” Daniel added. “Their safety is a big concern.”
Demonstrations and rallies sparked over the weekend including outside the White House where a group held a peaceful rally in support of the Palestinian people.
"We are not condoning the violence in Israel. We're just looking for peace for both sides, and we are looking to end the genocide and apartheid," demonstrator Kyra Blount told WUSA9.
Among the attendees was Majd Daka who said her father is currently in Gaza and that his life is in danger. Daka said she is also praying for peace, but that she will continue protesting to make her message clear.
"I am not going to recognize a stealer as an entity, this is our message," she said.
On Monday, a different group rallied outside the Embassy of Israel to the United States to show support for Israel. Among the demonstrators included Mina Rezvani of the Iramerican Civic Society of Washington.
“I have families in Israel, and they're really scared an afraid of this terrorist attack,” Rezvani said. “They live in their basement and when I called them, they said their call is being disconnected and they couldn't talk to me because there is so much fear over there and I feel so sorry.”
“We are here to show support to Israel because they've been attacked by Hamas and Hamas has been supported by the regime of Iran,” she added.
U.S. and Israeli officials say they’re still unclear if Iran was involved in the Hamas attacks.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced increased security at places of worship and embassies.