One year after the devastating Israel-Hamas war erupted, the demand for a ceasefire in Gaza continues to grow. On Saturday, thousands of protesters took to the streets of US cities, calling for an end to the conflict. The demonstrations, part of a worldwide day of action, highlighted the global outrage over the war’s devastating impact.
The protests took a dramatic turn when, during a march from Washington to Los Angeles, a man claiming to be a journalist attempted self-immolation. He set his left arm ablaze, shouting, “I’m a journalist and we neglect it, we spread the misinformation,” according to AFP. The incident, which occurred two hours after the protest began, shocked onlookers. Bystanders and police quickly responded, using water and even keffiyehs – traditional Palestinian scarves – to extinguish the flames. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment of “non-life threatening injuries.”
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel, has resulted in a staggering loss of life. AFP reports that over 1,205 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the initial attack. Israel’s retaliatory strikes on the Gaza strip, which have recently escalated into a war involving Hezbollah and engulfed Lebanon and Iran, have resulted in the deaths of over 41,825 Palestinians, according to Gaza health ministry data.
The protests in the US, including a large demonstration outside the White House, aimed to raise awareness of the plight of Palestinians and demand a halt to US military aid to Israel. “The US government has really shown what side of history it is on,” Zaid Khatib, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, told AFP. “The US government has performed and co-signed the most evil atrocities that we’ve seen of this century.”
As the war enters its second year, the world watches with growing concern as the conflict continues to escalate. The recent incidents of protest and self-immolation serve as stark reminders of the human cost of this war and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution.
