Two years after October 7, Iowa is standing with Israel
On Oct. 7, 2023, vicious Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, murdered nearly 1,200 innocent Israelis, and took 251 people hostage — about 50 of whom remain captive. Hamas targeted defenseless civilians as they slaughtered entire families and scorched their homes, raped women and attacked a music festival. On this somber anniversary, we mourn the fallen and demand the release of all remaining hostages.
What should have been a unified condemnation of these war crimes was shattered by pro-Hamas, antisemitic rallies on college campuses. Many university administrators simply looked the other way while Jewish students were harassed, mocked, and intimidated.
In one of the most brazen acts of violence, two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were murdered in May of this year after leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Acts of antisemitism have soared, especially on college campuses. Millions of Jewish Americans have experienced antisemitism. This is unacceptable.
That’s why organizations like Iowans Supporting Israel have been bringing people together to denounce antisemitism and stress the importance of an ironclad U.S.-Israel relationship. In fact, on Oct. 12, Iowans Supporting Israel is hosting Yoni Diller, a survivor of Hamas’ attack on the Nova Festival, to share his unthinkable experience in the face of pure evil. Standing with incredible people like Yoni, we will never waver in our support for our Israeli allies and our Jewish friends, family, and neighbors.
During visits to Israel, it has been heart-wrenching to see the aftermath of the carnage at the Nova Festival, and the charred remains of entire towns where innocent Israelis were slaughtered in their homes, some in front of their families. It is the responsibility of Iowans, Americans and the international community to never forget those who died that day.
At the federal level, the Trump administration has not turned a blind eye to the horrors of Oct. 7. By demanding the release of all remaining hostages in Hamas’ captivity and obliterating Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Trump administration has advanced peace through strength and stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel. It has supported funding appropriated by Congress for Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System. President Donald Trump even authorized investigations into antisemitism on campuses so that Jewish students can go to class without being targeted by those espousing hateful ideologies.
We mourn the innocent lives lost two years ago and demand the immediate release of all hostages. Let us honor the memory of those who died by recommitting ourselves on a regular basis to condemn antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head. We call on all Iowans to continue to stand with Israel in defense of the values that make our state a natural and unwavering ally of Israel and the Jewish people.
This op-ed was originally published in the Des Moines Register on October 7, 2025.