Rising Hate Crimes and Extremism Amid Israel-Hamas War

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have issued a warning about the potential increase in hate crimes in the U.S. amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. They have observed an uptick in threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions, with foreign actors such as Iranian media outlets, Al-Qaida, and ISIS using the conflict to incite violence in the U.S. and other Western countries. Recent incidents of antisemitic and Islamophobic violence in the U.S. have been attributed to the ongoing conflict. The Biden administration has faced criticism for its response to these incidents, with calls for stronger condemnation of hate crimes and recognition that not all Palestinians are aligned with Hamas.