Dec 13, 2023
Staffers and appointees of President Joe Biden‘s administration held a vigil in front of the White House on Wednesday to demand that the president call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
More than three dozen people, most donning sunglasses and masks to conceal their identities, participated in the evening vigil, according to media reports.
Former State Department official turned activist Josh Paul, who resigned in October over the Biden administration’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war, addressed the crowd during the demonstration in Washington, D.C.
Newsweek reached out via email on Wednesday night to Biden’s representatives for comment.
“The temporary ceasefire ended 13 days ago, and we have been horrified to see the full resumption of killings, displacement and bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Paul said during prepared remarks he made on behalf of the vigil attendees. “A temporary pause to this violence was never enough. We must move with urgency to save as many lives as possible and achieve an immediate, permanent ceasefire agreement and the return of all hostages.”
The number of Palestinian civilian casualties has sparked accusations of Israeli war crimes. Numerous videos and images of suffering in Gaza, which is home to roughly 2.3 million people, have ignited demands by many for a ceasefire.
Reuters foreign policy reporter Hümeyra Pamuk shared a photo from the event on X, formerly Twitter.
“Dozens of Biden administration staffers hold a vigil outside the White House, calling for a ceasefire,” Pamuk posted on X. “‘The temporary ceasefire ended 13 days ago, and we are horrified to see the full resumption of killings, displacement and bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.'”
NOW: Dozens of Biden administration staffers hold a vigil outside the White House, calling for a ceasefire.
“The temporary ceasefire ended 13 days ago, and we are horrified to see the full resumption of killings, displacement and bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.” pic.twitter.com/6A7gT90IRV
— Hümeyra Pamuk (@humeyra_pamuk) December 13, 2023
On October 7, Hamas militants led a surprise attack on Israel and Israeli Prime Minister has said that his nation is “at war.” The U.S. has continued to supply Israel with military and humanitarian aid and others have encouraged Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire. The October 7 attack left at least 1,200 Israel citizens dead, the Associated Press reported.
Hamas-controlled government authorities in Gaza say that at least 24,500 civilians have been killed, including those missing under the rubble, a number that the international humanitarian community accepts as valid.
As the death toll in Gaza climbs, the Israeli government faces mounting scrutiny.
Biden addressed the topic at a campaign fundraising event in Washington on Tuesday where he said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s government is “starting to lose support” from the international community and that changes need to be made considering the mounting death toll in Gaza.
The president said that Netanyahu’s government “is making it very difficult for the world” to continue backing Israel.
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