ISTANBUL

Providence, the capital of the northeastern US state of Rhode Island, raised the Palestinian flag at its City Hall on Friday with a ceremony organized by the City Council.

The flag was hoisted one hour ahead of the scheduled time, according to local NBC10 news reporter Erin Coogan, and officials planned to display it for just a single day.

Providence City Council organized the event amid ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza that have killed more than 53,000 Palestinians since October 2023.

"Providence City Hall displays many different flags throughout the year to mark different occasions and honor the many ethnic and cultural backgrounds and traditions that make our city strong," a spokesperson for Providence City Council told Fox News Digital Wednesday.

The spokesperson emphasized that the city has also flown Dominican, Irish, Armenian and Israeli flags in recent months.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley distanced himself from the decision while calling for harmony, hoping this can be "an opportunity to find unity instead of further division."

The city conducted the flag raising one day after Nakba Day, an unofficial Palestinian observance marking the 1948 displacement of Palestinians following the establishment of Israel.