Israelis, Jews in US Seek Gun Ownership After Hamas Attack

More Israelis and Jews in the U.S. are reportedly looking to buy guns after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

Key Quotes: "We’ve definitely seen a tremendous increase in religious Jewish people, Orthodox people, purchasing firearms," said David Kowalsky, a Jewish man and the owner of the Florida Gun Store in Hollywood, Fla. "I’ve seen a surge in interest in individual training as well as group training. These are mothers, teachers, the majority of them are mostly people who have never interacted with firearms or thought about owning them."

How the Media Covered it: Both NBC News (Lean Left bias) and Washington Examiner (Lean Right) reported on Kowalsky's statements, and the Financial Times (Center) reported on an uptick on people in Israel looking to buy guns. NBC highlighted several people who said they were seeking guns despite concerns about gun safety, and said the attack and subsequent social media threats "have forced many American Jews to reconsider their long held stances against owning or using guns." Washington Examiner noted how "the uptick in Jews looking to defend themselves comes after Jewish gun owners in New York sued the state's leadership in 2022 for banning firearms in places of worship."

Why the Difference: People on the left are generally more skeptical of firearm ownership than people on the right, and media coverage often reflects that divide.