ATLANTA — Three missile strikes sadly confirm for Presidential candidate Chase Oliver that Israel’s war in Gaza has spilled beyond both countries.
On Wednesday, one missile struck Tehran and killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and another missile launched into a Gaza refugee camp killed two journalists, at least one who clearly wore a flak jacket identifying him as press. This comes a day after a strike in Beirut that killed a Hezbollah commander.
“I have repeatedly called for a cessation of the violence we’ve seen in Gaza,” says Oliver, 38, Libertarian candidate for president. “The recent surge — including the killing of Haniyeh and a senior Hezbollah commander — is alarming and could lead to further escalation and widespread suffering.”
Iran and the United Nations blame Israel for the deadly attack that they call an assassination that came after Haniyeh attended the inauguration of Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Israeli authorities have yet to confirm that its forces are behind the attacks, though in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Wednesday address to the nation, he said that Israel has delivered “crushing blows” to its enemies in the last few days.
The U.S. State Department has not confirmed that Haniyeh is or is not among the dead in Tehran. It also is calling on Americans to avoid nearby Lebanon, where Hezbollah commander Fu’ad Shukr was killed Tuesday in Beirut.
Oliver emphasizes the profound impact on ordinary people caught in the crossfire.
“The ones who suffer most from these conflicts are those who have the least to do with these decisions — families simply trying to live their lives. The violence exacerbates their plight, denying them basic necessities and opportunities for a better life.”
Oliver entered politics as an anti-war activist, and brings that pro-peace message
“My empathy belongs to the people of Palestine and Israel, not to the governments of Hamas or Netanyahu, which have perpetuated the cycle of violence. The dream of peace should be pursued vigorously. The voices calling for more war must be overshadowed by a unified call for peace from both Israelis and Palestinians,” Oliver says.
“I pray for peace and urge people to come together to reject violence and seek harmony. It is through such unity that we can overcome the hatred and strife that has plagued this region for too long.”
For further inquiries and comments from Chase Oliver, please contact:
Amber Howell, Media Director
(706) 436-3690