Gaza Protests in Pasadena Continue

As part of an ongoing series of demonstrations since October, more than protestors, this time organized by the Pasadena City College Anti-War Club, gathered outside City Hall on Saturday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the release of hostages and a unilateral ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

One speaker, identified only by his first name, Avraham, criticized Israeli negotiations and told the group, “No one is working on a two-state solution in Israel. No one. There is not a two-state solution, there is only the peace process, a tool to deny and delay Palestinian freedom and Palestinian rights.”

He continued, “What does it mean to live separately? It is unnatural. What Israel is doing in Gaza, and in the West Bank, and in all of Palestine, with the full support of the United States government and other Western nations, is genocide. It is unconscionable that we have the power here in the United States, and we do nothing. We must stop it. When we say, ‘Never again,’ this is what we mean.”

A group of protesters has also been gathering outside the Lake Avenue offices of Congresswoman Judy Chu every Monday evening since November to demand that she support a unilateral ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

The Saturday protest was peaceful, with one Israel supporter standing across the plaza from the demonstration, holding an Israeli flag.

The Israel-Hamas War of 2023 began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a massive assault on Israel from the Gaza Strip, resulting in over 1,200 deaths primarily among Israeli citizens. The conflict escalated when Israel declared war on Hamas, leading to significant casualties and a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza remains critical, with shortages of essential supplies like food and medicine, lack of electricity and water, and widespread destruction of infrastructure.

Efforts to negotiate a humanitarian ceasefire have faced obstacles, with international calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The conflict has deep historical roots.