The visit comes as the Middle Eastern country is facing mounting international scrutiny over its war in Gaza. Four of the five legislators were initially invited on the trip by Israel’s foreign ministry, while one, Gregoire, was invited to join later on. Legislators visited the site, also near Gaza, where Hamas fighters in 2023 killed hundreds of people at the Nova music festival. Several of the Vermont legislators who attended last week’s trip said that they got to speak with Israeli citizens, in addition to the country’s political leaders, during their visit. Gregoire, a Republican, said in an email Monday that he and the other Vermont legislators “spoke to the concerns of food distribution” in Gaza during the trip.