A man was arrested in Florida United States for attempted homicide after opening fire on a car with two occupants. According to local authorities, the arrested men thought they were Palestinian immigrants, but they were Israeli tourists.

Miami-Dade County corrections authorities said 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, 27, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder. A police spokesman also confirmed local media reports that in his first statements after his arrest, Brafman said he “saw two Palestinians, whom he shot and killed.”

But it turned out to be two Israeli tourists, a father and son. One was hit in the shoulder and the other sustained a minor wound to the arm.

Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Semitic hatred in the US has grown, human rights organisations have pointed out.