Israel-Hamas War

Volunteers post flyers around San Diego calling attention to missing people in Israel

โ€œWe are not going to stop until we get our kids home,โ€ Einav Lavi, a volunteer, said

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The grief over those taken hostage or captured in the attack on Israel by Hamas is being felt around the world.

In San Diego, a group of volunteers are posting flyers around the area, calling attention to those missing people.

"It's about freedom of speech. It is for me to speak on behalf of people that cannot speak today," Einav Lavi, an Israeli-American who is one of the people putting up flyers, told NBC 7.

Lavi says she learned about the attacks from a family in Israel who were crying and asking for help.

Her mission became to help in the best way that she could.

"We have amazing volunteers that are taking the posters and posting them everywhere," she said. โ€œJust in San Diego alone, we posted about 10,000 posters."

However, the effort of posting pictures in some locations is controversial. Posters and blue pieces of cloth were found on the property of the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont, which sparked concern among the mosque's congregation.

"It's something that made us very concerned about the safety of our kids at school but also the safety of our worshippers," Imam Taha Hassane said.

NBC 7's Dave Summers shares what we know so far.

The San Diego Police Department is investigating the events as a hate incident. At this time, there is no direct evidence that it is a crime.

Lavi denied any association with the events that took place near the mosque.

โ€œWe are asking people to only put it in public places to respect the communities,โ€ she said.

She stressed that she is just calling attention to those missing and that the efforts will continue.

โ€œWe are not going to stop until we get our kids home,โ€ Lavi said.

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