Witness Recounts Shocking Exchange with Israeli Embassy Shooting Suspect: 'I Did It For Gaza'

Encounter at the Jewish Museum

• 💡 Katie Kalisher recounts being inside the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., when gunshots were heard from outside.
• 📌 A distressed man, covered in rain, entered the museum seeking refuge and was offered assistance by Kalisher and her friends.

The Suspect's Confession

• 💬 The man, after being asked about the museum, revealed a keffiyeh from his bag and stated, "I did it. I did this for Gaza."
• 🗣️ He then began shouting, "Free, free Palestine," before being arrested by arriving police.
• ⚠️ Kalisher describes the suspect as looking scared, which she initially attributed to witnessing the shooting, not to being the perpetrator.

Aftermath and Safety Concerns

• 😥 Kalisher expresses feeling lucky to be alive and profound sadness for the victims and their families.
• ⏱️ She notes that they were in the same room as the suspect for approximately 10 minutes before authorities arrived.
• 🚨 Kalisher initially mistook the gunshots and the man's entry as separate events, possibly related to protests, not realizing he was the shooter until speaking with police.

Rising Antisemitism

• 📈 Kalisher believes antisemitism is out of control in the U.S. and shares personal experiences of being targeted as a Jewish person.
• 🏳️‍🌈 She mentions being unwelcome in LGBTQ+ clubs due to her Jewish identity, highlighting a broader issue of anti-Jewish sentiment.
• 😔 Kalisher fears this incident is not an isolated event and that anti-Semitic attacks will continue.