The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) released a statement expressing its solidarity with Israel

The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) recently issued a statement in support of Israel, expressing their solidarity and condolences amidst recent events.

AAMA President and Mayor of Mount Vernon, New York, Shawyn Patterson-Howard, emphasized their stance in a statement on Tuesday: “We stand with Israel during these tragic times and want to be clear that these hateful, terrorist actions have no legitimacy and must be condemned. We cannot sit back and watch innocent civilians be victimized by senseless and heinous acts of violence.”

The AAMA further stated, “The Black and Jewish communities must stand together in resistance to this cruel and hateful behavior. We have a long history of fighting bigotry, racism, and extremism, and we will continue to stand with Israel to support them against these acts of terrorism.”

Established in 2014, the AAMA represents over 500 African-American mayors across the United States.

This announcement comes in the wake of reports from Israeli officials on Tuesday that the death toll in the country had exceeded 1,000 due to attacks initiated by Hamas since Saturday.

In Gaza and the West Bank, authorities report approximately 850 casualties, including numerous Hamas fighters, in the ongoing conflict.

Israeli authorities have also disclosed that over 150 soldiers and civilians are currently held captive by Hamas and other militant groups.

In response, Israel has initiated counterstrikes on Gaza, targeting the region with numerous assaults, while Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, continues its rocket attacks on Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a “huge price” from Hamas for these attacks. Concurrently, the U.S. and its Western allies have declared support for Israel.

U.S. President Biden, alongside four Western European leaders, stated late Monday: “We make clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned. There is never any justification for terrorism. Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities.”