Jewish group advocating for a ceasefire in the Israeli offensive on Gaza organized protests in eight American cities, coinciding with the eighth night of Hanukkah. These protests caused traffic disruptions during rush hour on busy streets and bridges in Washington and Philadelphia.
In Washington, the group “Jewish Voice for Peace” reported that about 90 demonstrators blocked the bridge leading to New York Avenue in the northwestern part of the capital. The police stated that the protest closed the intersection of New York Avenue and North Capitol Street, advising people to use alternative routes.
The group announced on the “X” platform, “On the eighth night of Hanukkah, in eight cities and over eight bridges… we are here, gathering in large and growing numbers across the country, to say: ‘Enough’.”
Demonstrations also took place in Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon. Anti-war activists obstructed traffic on a busy highway in Los Angeles during Wednesday’s morning rush hour. Additionally, some employees of President Joe Biden’s administration held a protest demanding a ceasefire, as reported by Reuters news agency.
The recent conflict in Gaza, which saw a resumption of hostilities after a week-long truce expired, resulted in significant casualties and widespread destruction. According to reports by Palestinian officials, more than 180 people were killed and hundreds were wounded as Israeli forces resumed their bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The eastern areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza experienced intense bombardment, leading to displacement of residents seeking shelter. Gaza health officials reported that Israeli air strikes had killed 184 people, wounded at least 589 others, and affected more than 20 houses. Sirens were heard across southern Israel as militants fired rockets from Gaza, with Hamas claiming to have targeted Tel Aviv, although no casualties or damage were reported there. The Israeli military urged civilians in Gaza City and southern parts of the enclave to flee to avoid the fighting, but rights groups like Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) warned that there are no safe places in Gaza due to the indiscriminate bombing and continued fighting. The United Nations described the situation as a severe humanitarian emergency, likening it to “Hell on Earth” returning to Gaza.
The scale of the casualties in this conflict has been particularly alarming. The Gaza Strip suffered massive civilian casualties from Israeli bombardment. As of December 1, the Gaza Health Ministry reported at least 15,000 Palestinians killed, including 6,150 children, 36,000 injured, and 7,000 missing under rubble, totaling over 58,000 casualties. This figure represents about 2.4% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population. The high number of casualties has been attributed to Israeli tactics and large-scale bombing. An analysis placed the percentage of civilian casualties in Gaza at around 61 percent, higher than the average civilian death rate in all world conflicts in the 20th century. There were also reports of significant casualties following specific incidents like the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion and attacks on refugee camps, schools, and healthcare facilities. On the Israeli side, the official death toll stood at about 1,200, including casualties among migrant workers from countries like Thailand and Nepal.
