Man charged with murder after Israeli embassy couple shot dead in Washington

Authorities described the slayings as a targeted act of terror

Two Israeli embassy staff were killed as they were leaving an event at a Jewish museum in Washington DC (Rod Lamkey/AP)

The man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington as they left an event at a Jewish museum told police after his arrest, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” federal authorities said Thursday, as they announced criminal charges.

Elias Rodriguez, 31, shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away after his arrest and told police that he was the one who “did it”, according to charging documents that provided chilling new details of a Wednesday night attack that killed an American woman and Israeli man who were set to become engaged.