LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen will be one of several senators traveling to Israel this weekend as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation. This comes after deadly attacks in the region.
The trip will be led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The Associated Press also states Republican senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mitt Romney of Utah will make the trip as well as Democratic senators Rosen and Mark Kelly of Arizona.
A spokesperson for his office said the group is scheduled to meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, who is a member of the emergency unity government, and Israel President Isaac Herzog. Schumer said the trip is important to him not only because he is the top Jewish elected official in the U.S. but because his great-grandmother and several of her children were killed by Nazis in Europe.
"This has deep resonance to people," Schumer said. "Because we have not seen anything as vicious and nasty as this since the Nazis."
Schumer had been in Asia meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping but stopped in South Korea before returning to the U.S. on Thursday. His office said the Israel trip will be to "discuss what resources the United States can provide to support Israel on all fronts."
Rosen said showing support for Israel is important.
"The United States stands firmly with Israel and its absolute right to defend itself after Hamas' brutal terrorist attacks," Rosen said in a statement. "Our bipartisan delegation will show that support for Israel is unwavering and unconditional on both sides of the aisle. I'll continue working to ensure Israel has all of the tools and resources they need to defeat Hamas."
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This will be the latest visit to the Middle East by U.S. officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel on Thursday while Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was there on Friday.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, about 1,900 people have been killed since the first Hamas attacks began almost a week ago. Ministry officials told the Associated Press that more than half of them are under the age or 18 or were women. The Israeli government gave similar numbers saying the Hamas assault last weekend left more than 1,300 Israelis dead and roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed during the fighting.
On Friday, Israel's military told about a million people to evacuate to the southern part of Palestine ahead of an expected ground invasion while Hamas told people to ignore the evacuation order.
RELATED LINK: Palestinians caught in fight between Hamas and Israel, expert says
As for Americans who are caught in the conflict, the U.S. State Department said they're working on arranging charter flights to help U.S. citizens and their family members who have been unable to book commercial flights out of Israel.
Starting Friday, October 13, we will arrange charter flights to assist U.S. citizens and their immediate family members who have been unable to book commercial transit and seek a safe means of departing Israel. From these locations, individuals will be able to make their own… pic.twitter.com/qRsSK3nVGR
— Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov) October 12, 2023
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U.S. lawmakers have been debating aid for Israel as well as funding for Ukraine. However, that is currently being put on pause while Republicans work to select a new Speaker.