On Monday night, the White House was lit up with blue and white lights to show support for Israel. This came after attacks by Hamas on Israel that resulted in the tragic loss of as many as 800 lives, as reported by The Hill on Sunday. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had called for this symbolic gesture to express solidarity with Israel in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
President Biden, in a clear message, stated, "Tonight, America stands with Israel, and that support will always remain unwavering." The American media outlet emphasized that this act symbolizes the strong and unbreakable support of the American people for Israel in the face of the cruel terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas. The White House also highlighted the enduring 75-year relationship between Israel and the United States.
Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, shared a photo of the illuminated White House with the caption, "White House in White and Blue tonight. We stand with Israel." President Joe Biden also posted an image of the White House bathed in the colors of Israel along with his message of support for the Israeli people.
Furthermore, prominent landmarks in the United States and other cities worldwide also displayed blue and white lights to show solidarity with Israel. These landmarks included the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Empire State Building in New York City, and a large screen in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
The Sydney Opera House, 10 Downing Street in London, and the Brandenburg Gate were among the other iconic landmarks illuminated in blue and white to demonstrate their support.
As the Israel-Hamas conflict entered its fourth day, the toll continued to rise, with over 900 people losing their lives and 2,400 others sustaining injuries due to attacks by Hamas in Israel, according to The Times of Israel.
On the other hand, Israel had targeted 1,707 locations in Gaza since Saturday, including 475 rocket systems, 73 command centers, 23 strategic infrastructure sites, and 22 underground targets. In response, over 400 individuals in the besieged Gaza Strip had lost their lives.
In an effort to counter Hamas, Israel had rapidly mobilized 300,000 troops within the last 48 hours. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari reported this mobilization and noted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had not seen such a swift mobilization of reservists—300,000 in 48 hours—since the 1973 Yom Kippur War when 400,000 reservists were called up, as reported by The Times of Israel.
