San Francisco protesters rally against Israel's airstrikes on Gaza
The Brief
San Francisco protesters gathered outside the Israeli consulate, condemning Israel's airstrikes across the Gaza Strip and calling for an arms embargo.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu defended the strikes, stating that Israel targets Hamas terrorists and holds them responsible for any civilian casualties, while protesters voiced their opposition to the ongoing conflict and the U.S. response.
San Francisco - San Francisco protesters gathered outside the Israeli consulate on Montgomery Street Tuesday evening to condemn Israel's recent airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. The rally, organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, called for an arms embargo and protesters expressed concerns about the escalating violence.
They chanted and carried signs reading "Hands off the Middle East" and "Free Palestine" before marching toward Market Street.
"This issue is top of mind for us taxpayers and people in the Bay Area. The people of Gaza want to rebuild. They're still cleaning up the rubble, and now the bombing has begun again," said Rami Abdelkarim, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement.
"My message is that we need to stop arming Israel and giving them money - that's the first step," said Susan Lamont, who said she's been studying the conflict for several years.
What we know
Israel launched airstrikes across Gaza early Tuesday, killing more than 400 Palestinians and shattering a ceasefire that had been in place since January. The strikes were part of Israel's effort to force Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, including American citizen Edan Alexander.
"We don't want to see any civilians hurt or killed; it's awful. But at the same time, Israel can't be expected to leave those people underground to rot. This is a horrible situation—it's a lose-lose for civilians," said Tyler Gregory, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he ordered the strikes after Hamas rejected proposals to extend the ceasefire.
In a recorded statement, he said in part: "In the past two weeks. Israel did not initiate any military action in the hope that Hamas would change course. Well, that didn't happen. While Israel accepted the offer and President Trump special envoy Steve Whitcomb. Hamas flatly refused to do so. This is why I authorized yesterday the renewal of military action against Hamas. Israel does not target Palestinian civilians. We target Hamas terrorists. And when these terrorists embed themselves in civilian areas, when they use civilians as human shields, they're the ones who are responsible for all unintended casualties."
The Israeli military has ordered people to evacuate Gaza, signaling that ground operations may soon resume.
Back here in San Francisco, we met Lena Rothman, who carried a sign reading "Not in My Name."
"I don't want it in my name. I'm Jewish, and I'm really ashamed of Israel. It's wrong. The Palestinians need their land back," she said.
The protest drew attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with demonstrators urging the US. to take action.
Hamas said that at least six senior officials were killed in Tuesday's airstrikes. The White House confirmed it was notified ahead of Israel's actions and voiced support for Israel's position.
The Source
KTVU Interviews, AP, Reuters, Fox News reports
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