WASHINGTON D.C, UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 08: Congressional staff lay down roses and carnations on the stairs in front of the congress building for those who lost their lives in Gaza due to Israeli attacks as they unfurl banner demanding a ceasefire on November 08, 2023 in Washington D.C, United States. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
In the last week, thousands of people have taken to Washington, D.C., calling for President Biden to support a ceasefire. The violent conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza has led to at least ten thousand dead and caused mass displacement of civilians.
On Wednesday, congressional staffers also supported the ceasefire calls during a vigil on Capitol Hill. According to The Hill, one of the organizers revealed over 100 staffers from 40 to 50 offices attended.
In a statement, the Congressional Staff for Ceasefire group said their representatives are not listening to constituents’ calls for a ceasefire. Three people stood up front with a line of roses on either side of them. Two of them, wearing a face mask, read parts of the statement below.
“We are congressional staffers on Capitol Hill, and we are no longer comfortable staying silent. We were horrified by the brutal October 7th attacks on Israeli civilians, and we are horrified by the overwhelming response by the Israeli government that has killed thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”
The group listed specific demands from their representative. The vigil, statement reading, and demonstration last about 10 to 15 minutes. Then, the group reportedly peacefully departed at the request of Capitol Police.
“Our constituents are pleading for a cease-fire, and we are the staffers answering their calls. Most of our bosses on Capitol Hill are not listening to the people they represent. We demand our leaders speak up: call for a cease-fire, a release of all hostages, and an immediate de-escalation now.”
Writer Jehad Abusalim posted a small clip of the demonstration on X. He shared that the staffers laid thousands of roses near Capitol Hill steps to represent the lives lost. Watch the clip below.
The World Health Organization (WHO) released its analysis of the ongoing deadly conflict on Nov 7 at a United Nations meeting, per a video shared by NPR. As it stands, children in Gaza are dying at an average of “160 children” every day. The WHO also revealed that 0.5 percent of Gaza’s population has died in the last month due to Israeli airstrikes.
“It’s been one month since the horrific attacks on mainly civilians in Israel and the abduction of 240 reported abducted mainly civilians. Nothing justifies the horrific attacks by Hamas and other militant groups,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said. “But it’s also been one month since hostility to the siege and the attacks on Gaza. Nothing justifies the horror being endured by the civilians in Gaza. People are in Gaza are dying in the thousands and those alive are suffering from trauma, disease, lack of food and water.”
At the meeting, WHO demanded “unhindered” access to the Gaza Strip to prevent a humanitarian crisis, per NPR.
Watch the clip below.
As mentioned, tens of thousands of people came out in D.C. last Saturday for a march demanding a ceasefire support in Gaza from the United States.
See a clip from ABC7 below.
According to The Hill, Hamas and Israel’s violent actions began after Hamas reportedly killed over 1,400 Israelites and took over 240 hostages on Oct. 7.
In response, the Israelite government has launched a series of air strikes in Palestine by “air, ground, and sea,” according to a Reuters reporter located in Gaza. Hospitals have also been bombed in the conflict, leading to deaths and limited access to medical supplies and assistance in the strip.
The Israelite government aims to retrieve hostages from Hamas and “destroy” them, per The Hill. To aid those alleged efforts, the government has reportedly begun a ground operation amid the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
Our in-house political advisors describe the Israel-Palestine conflict as “long-standing” — back to the late 19th and early 20th century. The conflict is “deeply rooted in territorial and statement claims by Israelites and Palestinians.” Hamas’ history includes engaging in militant activity, controlling the Gaza Strip, and providing social services.
The United States has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization since Oct. 8, 1997. President Biden said last week there should be a “pause” in the conflict, but he has not explicitly called for a ceasefire on behalf of the U.S.
