Around 500 individuals were detained at the United States Congress in Washington, DC, as they rallied against what they termed as “Israel’s ongoing oppression of Palestinians.” This information comes from Jewish Voice for Peace, the organization responsible for orchestrating the protest.
The demonstrators, many of whom donned shirts with the phrase “Not in our name,” were encircled by the police on Wednesday. They stationed themselves on the congressional building’s lobby floor, displaying a prominent “ceasefire” banner, highlighting the increasing fatalities from Israel’s assault on the encircled Gaza Strip.
In tandem with the sit-in, approximately 10,000 supporters took to the streets of the US capital, as reported by Jewish Voice for Peace. The organization stated, “We shut down Congress to draw mass attention to the US complicity in Israel’s ongoing oppression of Palestinians.” By Wednesday evening, the police had evacuated the protesters from the building and were proceeding with the arrests.
Israel has instituted a comprehensive blockade on the Gaza Strip, cutting off vital resources like food, water, electricity, and medical supplies to its 2.3 million inhabitants. This action followed an assault on southern Israel by Hamas on October 7. Israeli officials report a casualty figure exceeding 1,400, predominantly civilians, from the attack, with an additional 199 taken prisoner.
Israel has continually struck Gaza from the skies in a destructive campaign that has leveled multiple neighborhoods. Palestinian authorities estimate the death toll from these airstrikes to be over 3,400, with children making up a third of this tragic count.
Israel’s offensive and Gaza blockade have drawn criticism as collective punishment, igniting outrage throughout the Middle East and beyond.
The US has consistently been Israel’s most steadfast ally, furnishing it with substantial military aid annually and unwavering diplomatic reinforcement. During a recent visit to Israel, President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The President assured Netanyahu of the US’s unwavering support in its conflict against Hamas. Notably, on that same day, the US was the only nation to oppose and veto a UN Security Council resolution. The resolution aimed at pausing hostilities to facilitate the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance to Gaza.