Thousands gather in solidarity with Palestine in US capital

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) – Thousands gathered in the US capital Washington on Saturday to express solidarity with Palestine and demand a cease-fire from Israel amid its conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas.

Organized by the American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) organization, demonstrators gathered at Lafayette Square just across from the White House.

Protesters emphasized that Israel is causing the largest displacement since the Nakba, accusing the Biden administration of contributing to the conflict with its full and public support.

Despite heavy rain, participants arrived with Palestinian flags in hand and carried banners with messages such as "Free Palestine," "Cease-fire now," "End occupation," "End the genocide in Gaza now," and "US taxes fund Israeli war."

Orthodox Jews, attending the demonstration with their young children, held banners that read "The state of Israel does not represent world Jewry," "Judaism condemns the state of Israel and its atrocities," and "Israel ignited the fire."

During the rally, an American Jewish citizen expressed that there is a Judaism beyond Zionism, urging all American Jews to take action to stop the violence in Gaza.

Saturday's rally comes amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes that have persisted since last weekend's Hamas attack in Israel.

In a recent escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a military campaign against the Gaza Strip in response to the attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has endured a crippling siege since 2007, as well as ordering over 1 million Gazans in the northern strip to evacuate to the southern strip within 24 hours.

*Serife Cetin in New York contributed to the story