Slotkin working to get Michigan citizens out of Israel, Gaza Strip

(FOX 2) - Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin equated the attacks against Israel over the weekend as if 30,000 Americans were killed during 9/11. 

"It is a really significant impact on a new and very different thing for Israel citizens," said Slotkin, a member of the Michigan Congressional Delegation.

She also said the fallout for the country would take a longtime to reconcile with for Israelis. 

"It is very clear to me that the Israeli government will have to do a serious blue ribbon panel similar to what we did after 9/11, after the dust settled a bit on 9/11," she said.

Slotkin spent part of Wednesday in a classified briefing, learning that more than 150 hostages are held somewhere in the Gaza Strip, including some Americans. Her office has been helping American citizens get out of Israel and Palestinian Americans out of Gaza.

"We had Michiganders who were on planes and in the airport having to take cover," she said.

The world's gaze has been on the Middle East since the weekend when the extremist group launched an assault on Israel. Thousands of people have since died. 

Questions over how Israel failed to prepare for the attack are just some of what officials are now asking. Among other questions is whether Iran was involved in the planning. Slotkin, who has a military intelligence background, said there was no evidence to suggest that was the case.

"I think while both American and Israel intelligence officials have not said Iran was directly involved in the planning of this specific operation, we know that the longstanding support, financial support, material support, leadership support, weapons provision between Iran and Hamas is significant," she said.

Another question is what the U.S. should do with $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets that it exchanged for American prisoners. The U.S. Secretary of State said Iran hasn't been able to use that money yet.

Slotkin said she would consider a pause on the provision of those funds.