Israel-Hamas war: US probes death of Jewish man killed in pro-Palestinian rally in California
File photo of Paul Kessler, who was killed in a pro-Palestinian rally.
Police in California said on Monday (Nov 7) that they were investigating the death of a Jewish man who died after an altercation at duelling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies in Thousand Oaks last Sunday, as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on. In a statement, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said that Paul Kessler, 69, was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protestors.
"During the altercation, Kessler fell backwards and struck his head on the ground," the statement added. Kessler died from his injuries on Monday. "The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and has not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime," the Sheriff's Office further said and asked anyone who was at the protests to contact it.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Footage on social media showed the 69-year-old man lying on the ground clutching his head. Kessler's family has not commented on his death and requested privacy, a report by NBC News said.
In a statement, the Los Angeles area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it was "deeply saddened by this tragic and shocking loss" but cautioned against using the incident for political means.
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The CAIR called on individuals "to refrain from jumping to conclusions, sensationalizing such a tragedy for political gains, or spreading rumours that could unnecessarily escalate tensions that are already at an all-time high."
Condemning Kessler's death, Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid said "the man was killed because he was a jew".
"It is not because of Gaza, it is because of antisemitism," Lapid said in a post on X, adding, "This is what happens when protesters glorify Hamas and call to globalize the intifada."
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has completed a month with Israeli forces in the heart of Gaza City to destroy Hamas. Thousands have been killed on both sides of the war.
On Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged an end to the horrific suffering of civilians in Gaza, especially children. "One month on, civilians in Gaza and Israel are being forced to endure tremendous suffering and loss. This needs to stop," the ICRC said in a statement.
"Massive bombardments are gutting civilian infrastructure across Gaza, sowing seeds of hardship for generations to come," the statement added.
(With inputs from agencies)