- Sen. Cory Booker was in Israel when Hamas began attacking the Jewish nation on Saturday.
- Booker recounted his experience sheltering in his hotel's bomb shelter and stairwells in an X post.
Sen. Cory Booker said he had to hide in his hotel in Israel when Hamas started firing missiles at the Jewish nation on Saturday.
The Democratic senator from New Jersey arrived in Israel on Friday, where he was scheduled to attend meetings, site visits, and an economic summit, per a statement to Fox News from Maya Krishna-Rogers, a spokesperson for Booker.
Booker recounted his experience fleeing to his hotel for shelter in a post on X, previously known as Twitter, on Sunday.
"About this time yesterday, I was jogging — behind me — in the Old City when I got an urgent call from my chief of staff, telling me to get back to the hotel as quickly as I could, that Israel was under attack," Booker said in his video, adding that "thousands of rockets" were being launched by Hamas.
"When I got back to the hotel, I joined others in the bomb shelter or the stairwells of the hotel," Booker continued. "Frightened faces. There were children, elderly, families, and many Americans."
I was in Israel when the horrific attacks carried out by Hamas started on Saturday. My team and I are now safe, but like many we are shaken, angered, and heartbroken by the hundreds killed, the thousands injured, those taken hostage, and all who are directly affected by these… pic.twitter.com/E4BgEZxSTC
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) October 8, 2023
Krishna-Rogers told Fox News that Booker and his staff were able to depart Israel safely on Sunday.
Booker had earlier issued a statement about the attack on Israel by Hamas on Saturday.
"I emphatically condemn Hamas' horrific acts of violence, kidnapping and terror targeting Israeli families, children and other civilians in towns and cities across the nation of Israel," Booker said in his statement. "I stand with the people of Israel and the families of those who have lost loved ones."
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza.
On Sunday, Israel declared a "state of war," with officials saying their goal was to eliminate Hamas and take complete control of Gaza. The US said that it would deploy one of its carrier strike groups to Israel's coast.
A representative for Booker did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.