Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, issued the following statement on the ongoing violence in the Middle East:

"Starting today, we are joined by our HRC family in DC for meetings and our National Dinner. We are gathering in a moment of global crisis.

"I can’t begin to fully grasp what this moment of crisis must feel like for those who are Jewish. I can’t fully understand what it must feel like to be an Israeli or Palestinian civilian right now. As a Black queer woman, I do, however, understand the anguish of being part of a community that is repeatedly targeted. I do understand the fear and concerns of safety. It’s a pain that weighs heavily on my heart and I have deep sympathy for those experiencing such suffering right now.

"As I shared earlier this week, I am outraged by the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas, killing 1,200 Israeli civilians. The toll on both Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives rises daily. And many in the United States who are Jewish and Muslim recognize that hate-motivated bias and violence will rise here. Antisemitism is wrong. Islamophobia is wrong. Full stop.

"As we gather this week, many members of our community feel very broken right now. The world is heavy and frightening. And the future is uncertain. This violence is a reminder that the struggle for liberation against extremism, discrimination, and hate is a global struggle. It’s my struggle. It’s your struggle. It’s our struggle."