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Palestinian in US concerned about war between Israel and Hamas

'Not condoning it, but I can sympathize, because when an individual is oppressed for so long, it's inevitable,' Ayham Mahmoud says
Ayham Mahmoud a U.S. born citizen who lived in Palestine Oct 2023
Posted at 4:28 PM, Oct 10, 2023

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As the war claims hundreds of lives, WPTV has spoken with the Jewish community in the days after the attacks.

It is important to WPTV as journalists to also speak with Palestinians who are living in South Florida.

One man, Ayham Mahmoud, told WPTV the best way to describe what's going on in Israel presently is history repeating itself.

"As a U.S. born citizen who lived in Palestine for nearly six years and was just there in August, I cannot just empathize I can sympathize with the reasoning for it," he said. "Not condoning it but I can sympathize, because when an individual is oppressed for so long, it's inevitable."

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Mahmoud said Israelis are feeling what Palestinians feel daily.

"Which is the constant bombardment of civilian homes," he said, "expulsion from your own homes, expulsion from your own land."

Mahmoud said he was just in Palestine in August to visit family. Mahmoud said he was given a different color-coded visa card, he couldn't rent a car, and when going by cab, he had to travel different roads that identify him as a Palestinian.

"Which is so inhumane, and I was just there for a brief period," he said. "Imagine living through this and getting desensitized by this and thinking this is perfectly fine and normal."

Mahmoud said his family is doing fine considering the situation.