Miami Beach gathering shows support for Israel, more rallies on Wednesday
MIAMI BEACH -- Thousands of Israel supporters stood in solidarity in front of the Holocaust Museum in MiamI Beach Tuesday night.
"Not only does Israel have a right, it has an obligation and a duty to eliminate these Hamas killers and that the United States must provide them with everything they need to achieve that goal," said U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.
The vigil comes as more than a thousand people have died in Israel and Gaza and thousands of others are fighting for their lives as the bloodshed continues.
"People were set in fire, raped, mutilated maimed, burned, shot, butchered, herded in pick-up trucks and taken away," said Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, Consul General of Israel in Miami
Monday night, we heard from Jeffrey Ludmir in Aventura, who told us his nephew, Dr. Daniel Levy, was missing.
Ludmir told us that Dr. Levy was called to help those who were wounded — and had not been heard from.
We caught up with another one of Dr. Levy's loved ones at the Miami Beach rally Tuesday night.
"We were texting and he said he's taking care of people and he couldn't leave, he couldn't go take safety. He stayed there and took care of wounded until they came and massacred everyone," said Rudy Ellenbogen.
Dr. Levy was among those killed, leaving behind a wife and two young children.
Other attendees at the Miami Beach rally told us their loved ones are in combat right now fighting for Israel.
"This is my brother who's currently serving in the IDF. He's fighting front lines right now. It's terrible the things that he is seeing. He lost his officer, his best friends. he's witnessing life come and go, every second," said a woman named Talia, who didn't want to share her last name.
As state and local leaders spoke to the crowd, pleading their allegiance to support Israel, attendees became overcome with emotion.
It was a night to remember those lost and those fighting for their lives, as those supporting Israel in South Florida promise to stand by them in the difficult weeks and months to come.
Events like this will continue on Wednesday.
There will be one in Cooper City at 7 p.m. at the Temple Beth Emet Social Hall. Another event will be in Pembroke Pines at the Charles F Dodge City Center at 6 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m., University of Miami students will hold an Israel rally at the Rock Plaza in Coral Gables. People will also join together in Dania Beach, at 5 p.m. at City Hall, and in North Miami at the Moca Plaza, 770 NE 125th Street, at 5 p.m.