Israel-Gaza latest: Suspect said 'I did it for Gaza' after Washington killings; Trump 'saddened' and 'outraged'

Netanyahu says Starmer, Macron and Carney on 'wrong side of history' after Washington DC killings

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Sir Keir Starmer is "on the wrong side of humanity" after he called for an end to the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu has posted a video in English on social media - attacking the leaders of the UK, France and Canada for criticising Israel's approach in Gaza.

He specifically links their criticism to the killings in Washington DC of Israeli embassy workers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.

'He wanted to kill Jews'

In the video, Netanyahu says: "Yaron and Sarah weren’t the victims of a random crime. The terrorist who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone – he wanted to kill Jews. And as he was taken away, he chanted, 'Free Palestine!'

"This is exactly the same chant we heard on October 7th. On that day, thousands of terrorists stormed into Israel from Gaza. They beheaded men. They raped women. They burned babies alive. They butchered 1,200 innocent people and took 251 innocent people hostage to the dungeons of Gaza.

"A short time afterwards, Chancellor Scholz of Germany visited Israel. And after he saw the horrors, he said to me, 'These Hamas terrorists are exactly like the Nazis.'"

"He was right. And if they could get away with it, these Hamas terrorists would have slaughtered every last Jew on earth.

"For these neo-Nazis, 'Free Palestine' is just today’s version of 'Heil Hitler.'

"They don’t want a Palestinian state. They want to destroy the Jewish state. They want to annihilate the Jewish people, who have been in the Land of Israel for 3,500 years.

"I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others. They are now proposing to establish a Palestinian state and reward these murderers with the ultimate prize."

'Wrong side of justice'

Later in the clip, he adds: "I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer: When mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you're on the wrong side of justice. 

"You're on the wrong side of humanity and you're on the wrong side of history."

The Israeli PM adds his country does have friends, singling out the US.

He says: "I especially want to thank President Trump and the American people for their forthright stand with Israel and with the Jewish people. Together we stand." 

White House press secretary speaking

Karoline Leavitt is holding a news briefing, where she starts by speaking about the "heartwrenching" attack in Washington.

"The department of justice will be prosecuting the perpetrator responsible for this to the fullest extent of the law," she says.

Donald Trump is "saddened and outraged", she says.

"The evil of antisemitism must be eradicated from our society.

"Hatred has no place in the United States of America under President Donald Trump."

Moving on to Donald Trump's attempts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, Leavitt says talks could "end in a very positive diplomatic solution or it could end in a very negative situation for Iran".

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has, for his part, expressed doubt that the talks will lead to an agreement.

Israeli ambassador: I reject insinuation antisemitism rising due to war in Gaza

Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter says the attack in Washington demonstrates the "eighth front" on which Israel is fighting a war.

"The war to demonise, delegitimise, to eradicate the right of the state of Israel to exist."

Israel is "not going to be intimidated by the violence of those screaming on behalf of Palestine", he says.

Asked if he could comment on how antisemitism is affected by Benjamin Netanyahu's war aims, he says: "I reject your question, or the insinuation, that antisemitism is rising because of Israel's defence of its country.

"Hamas declared war, Israel is responding to that war. We will not allow Hamastan to exist on our borders."

He says the murders of Lischinsky and Milgrim "will not be in vain".

The embassy in Washington will continue to deepen the friendship between the people of the US and Israel, he says.

"Together we are going to defeat this anti-Israelism and anti-Zionism."

Lischinsky driven by desire to build bridges, says former professor

Yaron Lischinsky was driven by his desire to "contribute to bridge-building with other places, with other countries", says his former professor Nissim Otmazgin, dean of humanities at Hebrew University.

He thought that his background - a Christian who converted to Judaism after moving to Israel and called both Jerusalem and Nuremberg home - would help him as a diplomat.

According to his LinkedIn page, he believed that

"expanding the circle of peace with our [Israel's] Arab neighbours and pursuing regional cooperation is in the best interest of the state of Israel and the Middle East as a whole".

"He wanted to become a diplomat so he could actually use his

knowledge, his background, to contribute," said Otmazgin, who remembered Lischinsky as a well-rounded individual invested in academics, and as a defender in soccer.

Museum was awarded funding to increase security last week

Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum was awarded funding from a $500,000 Washington grant program to increase its security. 

The museum's leaders were concerned because it is a Jewish organisation and due to its new LGBTQ+ exhibit, according to NBC4 Washington. 

"We recognize that there are threats associated with this as well," executive director Beatrice Gurwitz previously told the TV station.

"And again, we want to ensure that our space is as welcoming and secure for everybody who comes here while we are exploring these stories."

France rejects 'completely outrageous' Israeli accusation of antisemitic incitement

While we wait for the mayor of Washington DC to speak, a French foreign ministry spokesperson has rejected as "completely outrageous and completely unjustified" an Israeli politician's claim that European nations bear blame for the attack.

"France has condemned, France condemns and France will continue to condemn, always and unequivocally, any act of anti-Semitism," AFP reports Christophe Lemoine as saying.

Earlier, Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar said European officials had surrendered "to the Palestinian terrorist propaganda".

"French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have all, in different ways, emboldened the forces of terror through their failure to draw moral red lines."

Israel has faced a blizzard of criticism from Europe of late as it has intensified its military campaign in Gaza.

Netanyahu says shootings are result of 'blood libels' - what does that mean?

Since news of the shootings emerged overnight, Israeli politicians have claimed they are the result of "blood libels" against Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, described the shootings as the "terrible price of antisemitism" and "rampant incitement against the State of Israel".

"Blood libels against the Jewish state cost blood," he said in his statement.

Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar made similar comments, adding: "Words that are like modern blood libels are being well dispersed."

He went further by saying that "irresponsible leaders in the West… give their backing to this hatred", singling out Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

But what do they mean by "blood libels?"

The term dates back to the Middle Ages when Jewish people were falsely accused of using the blood of Christians and non-Jewish children for religious rituals such as Passover.

This was then used as justification for deadly violence against Jewish people.

The term, while highly contentious and offensive to many, is now used to describe antisemitism or violence against Jewish people, which the perpetrators claim is justified by Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

Prominent Israeli figures are increasingly accusing Western leaders of failing to condemn such behaviour, and instead lending disproportionate support to pro-Palestinian groups.

Museum chief calls killings 'act of horrific antisemitic violence'

We're now hearing from the Capital Jewish Museum, which has released a statement saying it is "heartbroken" by the loss of Lischinsky and Milgrim.

The pair were shot dead as they left an event at the museum.

Executive director Beatrice Gurwitz called their killing an "act of horrific antisemitic violence", our US partner network NBC News reports.

"This tragedy is devastating. Such acts of terror attempt to instil fear, silence voices, and erase history - but we refuse to let them succeed.

"The Capital Jewish Museum was built to tell the centuries-old story of the greater Washington region's vibrant Jewish community."

Friend of victim describes her as 'passionate and brilliant environmental advocate'

A friend and colleague of Sarah Milgrim remembers her as "a young, passionate, and brilliant environmental advocate".

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, co-founder of the Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund, says Milgrim was "deeply committed to building a more peaceful and sustainable world."

"Just eight days ago, I spoke with her about an upcoming climate initiative. She was full of energy and optimism," our US partner network NBC News reports Mizrahi as saying.

In an email addressed to friends and colleagues, she said Milgrim "embodied the Jewish value of tikkun olam - repairing the world".

"May their memories be a blessing and a call to action - for peace, for justice, and for protecting life on this planet."

Suspect acted alone, says attorney general as she gives update on shooting

US attorney general Pam Bondi is speaking at the scene of the Washington DC shooting.

"I saw a young man's body being taken away, who was about to get engaged," she says, her voice strained with emotion.

"He had an entire life in front of him and that was taken away.

"The hate has got to stop and it has to stop now.

"This person will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

Security has been increased at the museum and the Israeli embassy, she adds.

"From everything we know now, he acted alone," says Bondi, adding it is an ongoing investigation.

She says she spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu and describes him as "devastated".

"It broke my heart to talk to Bibi last night."

She describes Donald Trump as "heartbroken and devastated".

"We all need to come together, no matter what religion we are.

"The Muslim region actually reached out to our rabbis and offered condolences and sent a beautiful message."

Shooting victim had a German passport - and what else we know about them

Yaron Lischinsky, one of the victims of last night's shooting, held a German passport, a German diplomatic source has confirmed to our US partner network NBC News.

Lischinsky wrote on his LinkedIn page that he moved to Israel at the age of 16 from Nuremburg, Germany. He later relocated to Washington to work for the Israeli embassy.

In an earlier post on X, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the attack "despicable".

JD Vance condemns shooting

JD Vance has said his "heart breaks" for the couple killed at the Capital Jewish Museum.

"Antisemitic violence has no place in the United States," the US vice president added.

"We're praying for their families and all of our friends at the Israeli embassy."

Suspect accused Israel of 'atrocities' in social media post, Sky News finds

A social media post believed to have been published by the suspect accuses Israel of "atrocities" against Palestinians.

The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, chanted "free, free Palestine" as he was arrested, as we've reported.

Sky News has uncovered what is believed to be a statement by the shooting suspect posted at 10pm local time last night, around an hour after the shooting - suggesting it was scheduled.

The letter, signed with Rodriguez's name, was dated 20 May 2025.

-SKY NEWS