US rabbis rally at UN, urging immediate cease-fire in Gaza

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK

A group of rabbis from Rabbis for Ceasefire protested Tuesday inside the UN Security Council chamber and demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

The demonstrators urged the US to stop "vetoing peace," referencing Washington’s vetoes that have opposed demands for a cease-fire and humanitarian pauses in Gaza.

"We are here at the UN in prayer and determination to support the UN to ask for immediate, permanent cease-fire in Gaza and to the man (President Joe Biden) that the US gets out of the way of the UN taking urgent action to save lives," said one member of Rabbis for Ceasefire.

Carrying banners that read "Biden: The world says ceasefire now" and "Biden: Stop vetoing ceasefire," demonstrators sang inside the chamber before being escorted out by security officers.

Later, they gathered in front of the main UN building and reiterated their demand for a cease-fire. "The United Nations, you have the unique power and the unique responsibility to bring about a permanent cease-fire," they said.

The latest protests come as similar demonstrations have been persistent across the US for the past three months.

Israel has launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

At least 23,210 Palestinians have since been killed and 59,167 injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced, while all of the populations are food insecure, according to the UN.

Hundreds of thousands of residents are living without shelter, and ⁠less than half of aid trucks are entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.