Valley Jewish community, law enforcement on alert after attacks by Hamas on Israel

PHOENIX — The Valley Jewish community and law enforcement agencies are on alert in the wake of the recent attacks by Hamas on Israel.

“We have stepped up our security, as probably every synagogue throughout the nation has, as well as community centers,” George Weisz, who sits on the security committee for a Phoenix synagogue, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Tuesday.

Dozens of Hamas militants broke out of the blockaded Gaza Strip and into nearby Israeli towns on Saturday, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday.

Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an “unprecedented price.”

By Tuesday, at least 1,800 people had been killed in the fighting.

Weisz, a former state lawmaker and aide to two governors, said he’s concerned about potential lone wolf attacks by Hamas supporters beyond the conflict area.

“When you have the head of Hamas, who made an international statement that all those who support Hamas … should get up and rise up … you have to worry about not just what’s happening in the Middle East, but what’s happening in every country around the world,” he said.

Phoenix Police, FBI monitoring events in Middle East

The Phoenix Police Department said it was communicating with local and federal partners about the situation.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and have currently implemented enhanced patrol in various areas,” Sgt. Phil Krynsky said in a statement to the media Monday.

“As always, we will like to remind our community if you ‘see something, say something.’”

The FBI said Monday there were no credible threats in Arizona.

“The FBI Phoenix field office has been in touch with local communities around the state of Arizona to reassure them we are tracking closely the events in the Middle East,” the FBI Phoenix field office said in a statement.

“Hate crimes and violence against members of any community will not be tolerated.”

The FBI asked the public to report suspicious or threatening activity to its online tip line.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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