Senator Cory Booker recounted his experience of having to seek shelter in his hotel in Israel as Hamas initiated missile attacks on the country last Saturday. The Democratic senator from New Jersey had arrived in Israel the previous Friday for a series of meetings, site visits, and an economic summit, as confirmed by Maya Krishna-Rogers, a spokesperson for Booker, in a statement to Fox News.
Booker shared his ordeal on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday, describing how he had been jogging in the Old City when he received an urgent call from his chief of staff, instructing him to return to the hotel immediately due to the ongoing attack on Israel by Hamas. He noted that “thousands of rockets” were being launched by Hamas.
Upon his return to the hotel, Booker, along with others, sought refuge in the hotel’s bomb shelter or stairwells. He described the scene as filled with frightened individuals, including children, the elderly, families, and many Americans.
Maya Krishna-Rogers informed Fox News that Booker and his team were able to depart from Israel safely on Sunday.
Booker had previously issued a statement condemning Hamas’ violent actions against Israel, expressing solidarity with the Israeli people and the families affected by the attacks. He stated, “I emphatically condemn Hamas’ horrific acts of violence, kidnapping, and terror targeting Israeli families, children, and other civilians in towns and cities across the nation of Israel.”
On Saturday, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel by firing thousands of rockets from Gaza. In response, Israel declared a “state of war” on Sunday, with the objective of eliminating Hamas and gaining full control of Gaza. The United States also announced its intention to deploy one of its carrier strike groups to the coast of Israel.
As of the time of reporting, a representative for Senator Booker
