Couple Identified and Featured After Tragic Shooting in Washington DC

Two employees at the Israeli embassy were fatally shot as they departed from the capital's Jewish museum. Washington, DC , have been identified.

When Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were leaving an event supporting Gazans, which was organized by the American Jewish Committee, they were suddenly confronted by 30-year-old suspect Elias Rodriguez who then proceeded to open fire.

The Israeli Embassy shared a photo of the pair and said: ‘They were in the prime of their lives. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss.’

Israel's US Ambassador, Yechiel Leiter, said at a press briefing that Yaron and Sarah were a 'lovely' couple who were just about to get engaged.

'This week, the young fellow bought a ring with plans to propose to his girlfriend the following week.' Jerusalem ,’ he said.

Sarah’s dad, Robert Milgrim, informed the New York Times The ironic thing is that we were concerned about our daughter's safety in Israel. However, she was killed just three days before her scheduled departure.

Who are the victims?

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was among the first to identify the victims as Yaron — whose friends described as a 'devout' Christian — and Sarah.

Sarah's LinkedIn profile indicates she obtained a Master’s degree in International Affairs from American University and another Master’s in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development from The University for Peace.

She previously worked with the organisation Tech2Peace in Tel Aviv, where she ‘focused on peacebuilding theory, emphasising grassroots initiatives in the Israeli-Palestinian region.’

Sarah stated on her LinkedIn profile: 'I'm enthusiastic about supporting entities focused on closing gaps, fostering religious peace, and pushing for sustainability.'

Yaron has also served at the Embassy with an emphasis on Middle Eastern and North African affairs. He earned his Master’s degree in Government, Diplomacy & Strategy from Reichman University in Herzliya and completed his Bachelor’s studies in International Relations and Asian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

He referred to himself as an ‘ardent believer’ in the Abraham Accords and said he believed ‘expanding the circle of peace with our Arab neighbours’ and ‘regional cooperation’ was in everyone’s best interest.

Professor Otmazgin, who taught Yaron in Jerusalem, said: ‘He was an idealist. He wanted to build bridges between Israel and other countries, especially in Asia.

'He was a devoted Christian, yet he had intertwined his destiny with the people of Israel.'

Sarah's parents mentioned they were unaware that Yaron was planning to propose until after both the couple had passed away.

Robert, Sarah’s dad, remembered them as 'highly similar': 'full of passion, incredibly smart, devoted, always committed to what's right.'

How the attack unfolded

Auckland Police Commissioner Pamela Smith stated that the individual was observed pacing around outside the museum prior to the incident, entered the premises following the shooting, and was apprehended by security personnel at the scene.

Eyewitness Katie Kalisher informed the BBC: “At about 9.07 pm, we heard shots being fired. Then a man entered appearing extremely agitated. We believed he simply required assistance.”

Yoni Kalin commented: 'We figured he must have gone through some violent situation or something like that, so he required secure housing.'

'So he came in, and everyone was trying to calm him down, offering him water, looking after him. Unbeknownst to us, he had murdered people without mercy. He turned out to be the gunman.'

As soon as the police arrived, he stated, "I am responsible for this. I do not have a weapon." The officer then drew his own weapon. red keffiyeh And he said, "I did this for Gaza. For a free Palestine, there's only one answer: an intifada revolution," and he continued shouting, "Free Palestine."

What does 'intifada' mean?

Intifada is an Arabic word meaning ‘uprising’, but it has also been co-opted by Hamas and their supporters and applied to terror attacks against Israel.

When they took him into custody, Rodriguez started shouting, ' free, free Palestine ,’ Smith said. Rodriguez had not attended the event.

The event organizer JoJo Klin informed the BBC, "This situation won’t strip me of my humanity or discourage me. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to self-governance, which is ironically exactly what we were talking about."

'It involved constructing bridges, but suddenly we were struck by so much hatred.'

Chief Smith mentioned that officials hadn't previously interacted with the suspect: "There was nothing in his history that would have flagged him for us."

'Our combined terrorism team is collaborating closely with the FBI to thoroughly investigate his history.'

What have our elected officials stated?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that embassy security across the globe will be enhanced.

He stated: "I am deeply saddened for the loved ones of the dear young man and woman whose lives were cruelly ended by an atrocious anti-Semitic killer."

Attorney General Pam Bondi stated she was present at the location along with former Judge Jeanine Pirro, who acts as the U.S. Attorney in Washington.

Israel's UN envoy, Danny Danon, described the shooting as a 'grotesque act of anti-Semitic terrorism'.

"We are certain that the U.S. authorities will implement robust measures against those accountable for this illegal activity," stated Mr. Danon in an X posting.

'I Israel will keep acting firmly to safeguard its people and representatives all around the globe.'

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social saying, "We must put an immediate stop to these terrible killings in D.C., which clearly stem from anti-Semitism. There is no room for hatred and radicalism in the USA."

'Sympathies to the victim's families. It’s so heartbreaking that these kinds of events occur! May God bless every one of you!'

The city's mayor, Muriel Bowser, stated that there is currently no imminent danger to the community and emphasized that they will not stand for such violence or hatred within their city.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated: "This is a vile act of hate, an expression of antisemitism. We extend our sympathies to the families of the victims who lost their lives, and we urgently direct our thoughts towards the wounded."

Firing occurs against a backdrop of increased strain

This incident follows Israel’s launch of a fresh operation aimed at Hamas within the Gaza Strip, igniting heightened tensions throughout the broader Middle Eastern region.

The conflict started when the Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched an attack from Gaza on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and around 250 Israelis being taken hostage back to the coastal territory.

In the time since, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities.

Approximately 90% of the area's nearly 2 million people have been forced from their homes due to the conflict, which has also triggered a severe food crisis and destroyed large portions of Gaza's cityscape.

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