By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden vowed Monday to end the war in the Gaza Strip and bring the hostages back home.
"I will keep working to bring hostages home, end the war in Gaza, and bring peace and security to the Middle East," Biden said on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
"We are working around the clock…to prevent a wider war, to reunite hostages with their families, and surge humanitarian health and food assistance in Gaza. To end civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and to finally deliver a cease-fire and end this war," he added.
As the convention kicked off earlier Monday, thousands of pro-Palestine protestors gathered in Chicago to push for an end to US support for Israel's war on Gaza, where more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed.
As delegates arrived at the convention center, protesters marched through downtown Chicago, periodically chanting slogans such as "Free, free Palestine” hours before Biden was set to address the convention.
"Those protesters out in the street, they have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides," Biden said.