SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A peaceful rally brought hundreds of people to the state capitol to call for the United States government to demand a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza amid the Hamas-Israel conflict.
“I’m terribly worried for everyone and that’s why we’re here,” said Jean Strathdee from the Cal Pacific United Methodist Church.
She and her husband Jim prayed for a ceasefire during the rally, wanting to see the conflict between Hamas and Israel end and the protection of innocents in the middle of it.
“This keeps us awake at night. It dominates our daily life because we know these people. We care about them, and some of them have been killed,” said Jim Strathdee.
Thousands of people have died and President Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced they would be sending aid to the region.
Basim Elkarra, from the Council on American-Islamic Relationships (CAIR), has a personal stake in the conflict.
“Both of my parents were born in the Gaza Strip, and we’ve lost several family members already,” said Elkarra. “People of every faith and background are coming together and saying enough is enough. This has to stop and we need peace and justice in the Middle East.”
People of every faith, including Judaism, echoed that sentiment Saturday morning.
“This is very contrary to Judaic principles, which are very synonymous with human rights,” said Nanci Fleischer, a member of the Jewish Voice for Peace. “The human rights to basic needs, to freedom, to liberty, to self-governance.”
