While visiting wartime Israel, New York governor learns of her father’s sudden death back home

JERUSALEM (AP) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s father has died while she was touring wartime Israel. The teary-eyed governor slipped a note grieving her loss into the Western Wall holy site in Jerusalem on Thursday. Hochul learned of her 87-year-old father’s sudden death from a brain hemorrhage while she was on the second day of her trip to support Israel during its war with Hamas. The Democratic governor met with top Israeli leaders and heard painful stories from families of American citizens taken hostage by Hamas militants. The Israeli military has been relentlessly attacking Gaza in retaliation for the cross-border massacre by Hamas two weeks ago. More than 1 million Palestinians have fled their homes and thousands have died.