Rep. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 4th District | Ballotpedia
Rep. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 4th District | Ballotpedia
U.S. Congressman Mark Alford has released a video documenting his visit to Israel in April 2024, ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7th attack by Hamas. The attack, which was supported by Iran, resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people and saw over 200 individuals taken hostage, including American citizens.
In the video, Congressman Alford shares a firsthand look at the aftermath of what he describes as "the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust." He is planning another visit to Israel this month and intends to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The video also features U.S. Representatives Derrick Van Orden and Celeste Maloy, along with Asher Afriat from the American Israel Education Foundation. It concludes with remarks from Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was held hostage by Hamas for nearly 11 months before being killed.
Congressman Alford expressed his horror at the devastation caused by the attack: “Like so many, we were sickened by the devastating attack on Israel by the Iran-backed Hamas terrorists... Innocent humans were butchered, families were shattered, and a nation was left in mourning.”
He emphasized that this incident was not only an assault on Israel but also an attack on "peace, stability, and the shared values that bind us as democracies."
Asher Afriat provided details about one kibbutz near Gaza that suffered heavily during the attack: “It was stormed by about 150 well-armed terrorists... About a third of the members of the kibbutz are either killed, kidnapped or injured on that day.”
Rep. Van Orden highlighted how challenging it is to convey such acts of evil: “One of the best parts about being an American citizen is you don't understand that evil exists on this scale... these savages from Hamas came here intentionally and targeted men, women, and children.”
Rep. Maloy described her struggle to comprehend the extent of destruction: “It's hard to even take it in... It's just heartbreaking.”
The video includes scenes from various locations impacted by violence. At one site known as Nova Festival Site where around 390 individuals were killed while attending a music festival; Rep. Alford described how terrorists attacked attendees with AK-47s.
Alford further explained geopolitical tensions involving neighboring countries Lebanon and Syria due to Iran's influence: "Iran is — through its proxy war — supplying Syria with drones and other weaponry to strike targets in Israel."
Rachel Goldberg-Polin's emotional message concluded with a call for resilience following her son's tragic death: “I will love you... But you're right here. I know you're right here.”