‘We are strong, we are resilient:’ Israel’s Consul General for Florida in Tampa speaks to Jewish community

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – As a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas has been extended another two days, Israel’s Consul General for Florida was in Tampa Monday night.

He said Hamas is taking advantage of the temporary truce to regroup and rearm.

Maor Elbaz Starinsky had originally asked people to not look at the images of the war because of their horrific nature. But on Monday, he asked hundreds in the Tampa community to see the brutal attacks unfolding by Hamas in the Middle East every day.

“You should look, you should see what evil, evil we are facing,” Starinsky said.

While in Tampa, Starinsky told a crowd of 200 people this is a fight of evil against good, a fight of darkness against light.

“Only one goal, which is to distract the state of Israel and kill as many Jews as possible,” he said.

On Oct. 7, 1,300 people were brutally killed by Hamas.

“By sheer numbers, this is the deadliest and most devastating day for the Jewish people not only for the state of Israel, but for the Jewish people since the holocaust,” Starinsky said.

As Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the cease-fire in Gaza for two more days, 58 hostages have been released so far, including 39 Israelis.

“They don’t know their parents were murdered,” Starinsky said. “This is the reality they’re coming to.”

Hamas is still holding an estimated 200 more hostage. The Consul General says Florida has hosted 11 families with loved ones who are still captive.

“We are strong, we are resilient, and we will rebuild the southern part of Israel and the people of Israel,” he said.

The Consul General also said this war has unleashed evil around the world, adding antisemitism is on the rise. While that’s been happening in recent years, he said it’s escalated since the war has begun.