Washington, DC - Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, strongly condemned the cowardly attack against Israel and demanded the release of all hostages seized by the Hamas terrorists.

“Israel and its citizens have always lived in the shadow of violence and terror,” Yoes said. “But the vicious attack by Hamas terrorists over the weekend—during the Jewish holiday—has resulted in the greatest loss of life in decades. It cannot be overstated: this was an act of premeditated evil, and its goal was to kill and capture civilians and launch a new campaign of terror. They must be stopped.”

According to the latest news reports, more than 900 Israelis and 11 Americans were murdered by Hamas during the initial incursion. Hundreds have been captured and are thought to be held in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government declared war on Hamas and have begun to mobilize for military operations in Gaza.

“We stand steadfastly with our brothers and sisters in Israel—from the members of the Israel Defense Forces, its security forces, civilian police officers, all Israeli citizens and visitors currently in the country,” Yoes said. “We pray for their safety and, in the case of the hostages, for their swift recovery.”

“Here in the United States, State and local law enforcement officers will be stepping up patrols to protect synagogues and other gathering places,” Yoes added. “President Biden warned the nations of the world not to take advantage of our Israeli allies and I am sending a similar warning to those who, like Hamas, are motivated by a hatred of the Jewish people: we will not tolerate your hatred or any threats to our Jewish brothers and sisters in any community in this country. This is a promise.”