Palestinian Americans decry demonization in media amid rising fear of hate crimes
Easton Amjad Waz, 5, holds a sign during a vigil for Wadea Al Fayoume on October 17. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Thousands of miles from the crisis in Gaza, Muslims and Palestinians in the US are reporting a wave of Islamophobic incidents that, for many, feels terrifyingly familiar.
“This is reminding me a bit of how it felt post-9/11,” Palestinian activist and policy analyst Laila El-Haddad said in an interview.
In the days since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7 and Israel unleashed retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza, thousands of civilians have been killed. For some Palestinian Americans, the days have been consumed by checking on loved ones in Gaza while also taking precautions for their own safety. Meanwhile, they have watched as some who voice support for the Palestinian civilians trapped in Gaza have been slandered or received threats of their own.
