A high-flying American academic was shot dead in a callous attack by Hamas terrorists who burst into his home and found him hiding in a closet, his distraught mother said.
The US-born Dr. Hayim Katsman, 32, who received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 2021, was killed in his home in Israel along with a female neighbor when the militant group launched the deadliest attack on the Jewish community since the Holocaust on Saturday morning.
More than 700 people have been killed in Israel since Saturday, including 260 killed by Hamas gunmen at a music festival. President Joe Biden confirmed on Monday that at least 11 Americans were among the victims.
Dr. Katsman’s mother, Hannah, said she initially thought her son had been taken hostage, but later learned he had been killed by Hamas after they stormed his home and found him seeking shelter.
She says one of his neighbors was released, but her son and another neighbor were immediately shot dead.
The US-born Dr. Hayim Katsman was shot dead by Hamas terrorists in his home in Israel on Saturday
His mother, Hannah Katsman (right), said she had been inundated with tributes to her son
Hamas terrorists attacked the house of dr. Katsman burst in and shot him and a female neighbor
“I got so many messages from people who worked with Hayim or who knew him, or who met him on their travels and how warm he was, how open,” Mrs Katsman said. ABC News. ‘He was a very accepting person and a very loyal friend. He had a good sense of humor. He took things easy.’
Dr. Katsman lived and conducted research on a kibbutz – a Jewish community – in Israel, his mother said.
A statement released by the Association for Israel Studies described the slain academic as “an emerging scholar in the field of Israel studies,” who was “deeply committed to community service.”
His volunteer activities included co-coordinating the Israel/Palestine Research Group at the University of Washington, the statement added.
It comes after that President Joe Biden released a paper statement on Monday condemning ‘unforgivable hatred and violence’ in the terror attack on Israel as he revealed that ‘at least’ 11 Americans were killed in the carnage.
“As we continue to account for the horrors of the horrific terrorist attack against Israel this weekend and the hundreds of innocent civilians killed, we see the tremendous scope and scale of this tragedy,” Biden said.
“Unfortunately, we now know that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed – many of whom had made a second home in Israel.”
He also said it was “likely” there were Americans being held hostage as well, and promised to cooperate with Israeli forces on the matter.
This statement comes as Hamas has threatened to start killing hostages if Israel convenes an imminent invasion of Gaza.
It is likely to strike fear into the hearts of American families who fear for loved ones in the war-torn region.
Dr. Katsman has a Ph.D. from the University of Washington, but also appeared to be an avid musician and DJ, according to his social media profile
Dr. Katsman has had a special interest in Israel-Palestine relations in his academic work
The father of a missing American serving in the Israeli military called on President Biden today to do more to protect American citizens under attack by Hamas.
Itay Chen, a US-Israeli dual citizen, was serving with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) on the Gaza border when Hamas launched its devastating terror attack on Israel on Saturday morning.
His father, Ruby Chen, who is from Brooklyn, New York, but now lives in Netanya, Israel, said the last he heard from his ‘wonderful’ son was that his base was under heavy bombardment.
Mr. Chen said he had reached out to the US State Department for help, but criticized US authorities for “taking a back seat” to the investigation into Itay’s whereabouts.
Meanwhile, the parents of a missing 23-year-old American man pleaded with him to ‘come home’ after he sent them a chilling text message while attending a desert party in Israel, moments before Hamas launched a surprise attack that killed 260 people at the festival.
Hersh Golberg-Polin, 23, texted his mum and dad ‘I love you, I’m sorry’ at 8.11am on Saturday – as callous Palestinian militants declared war on Israel, took dozens hostage and killed hundreds during the Jewish heyday. holiday.
Born in Berkeley, California, Hersh and his family moved to Jerusalem when he was just seven years old.
His family have no idea where he is – and they now fear for his life, after he spent the night at the desert rave near the Gaza Strip that was infiltrated and ambushed by Palestinian terrorists.
Ilan Troen, a professor at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, said his daughter Deborah Matias, 50, and her husband, Shlomi, were killed when Hamas fighters attacked their community in southern Israel.
The Boston-born academic recalled how his daughter Debbie Shahar Troen Mathias and son-in-law Shlomi Mathias were killed by gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
The State Department would not confirm whether Matias or Katsman were among the 11 Americans confirmed to have been killed in Israel since Hamas launched its attack on Saturday.