The demonstrators, who arrived by bus and from metro stations, expressed their anger over the ongoing war and American support for Israel's bombing campaign that has displaced much of the population and left more than 23,000 Gazans dead and about 60,000 wounded, according to a Gaza report. Ministry of Health.
The rally, organized by the American Muslim Action Group for Palestine and other groups, is the second rally in support of Gaza in Washington since the war between Israel and Gaza began on October 7, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and wounding others. About 240 hostages were taken. A rally in support of Israel was held in mid-November on the National Mall, where thousands gathered to express their solidarity with Israel, demonstrate their determination to combat anti-Semitism, and demand the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7 attack.
As the start of the demonstration approached, the police were clearly present in nearby buildings, but not in the square itself. D.C. police squad cars with flashing emergency lights lined up at 17th Street and K Street and service roads were closed, while Park Police officers on bikes also lined up. There were also many snow removal trucks parked along the city's main roads, but not because snow was forecast. Police often use trucks to block intersections to keep traffic separate from protesters, or to redirect protesters away from certain areas.
Muhammad Habih, director of American Muslims for Palestine development and lead organizer of Saturday's event, said organizers chose this weekend to commemorate nearly 100 days of war and honor the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
“It has been three months of continuous killing,” Habih said. “We feel it is important for us to come this weekend in the spirit of Martin Luther King when he said that ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’ and to stand against the injustice happening in Gaza right now, and to stand against the atrocities that you support and promote.” It has our government.”
Organizers expect up to 25,000 people to attend the event, according to a statement issued by the National Park Service late Thursday. The permit also includes parts of Lafayette Square, across from the White House, where protesters are expected to march after the march. There are buses coming from states across the country, including Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin, according to the event website.
Saturday's protests come a day after Israel rejected charges brought by South Africa to the International Court of Justice that it was committing genocide in Gaza. Israel said that the increasing death toll in Gaza is an inevitable result of its battle against the army of militants that has holed up in civilian areas and seeks to achieve peace. To repeat the attacks of October 7.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied this charge, saying: “Today, once again, we saw an upside-down world, where the State of Israel is accused of committing genocide at a time when it is fighting genocide.”
Announced speakers at the rally include Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, presidential candidates Cornel West and Jill Stein, Ilyasa Shabazz (Malcolm – Founder Medea Benjamin and family members of those killed in Gaza.
This story will be updated.
