Thousands of people rallied in front of Dallas City Hall on Sunday to show support for Palestinians and to speak out against Israel鈥檚 military action in Gaza.
Some carried signs that read 鈥淔ree Palestine,鈥� 鈥淒ecolonize Palestine鈥� and 鈥淔rom The River To Sea Palestine Will Be Free.鈥� Others held signs denouncing the United States鈥� aid to Israel. Many waved the Palestinian flag which is comprised of three horizontal stripes of black, white and green and a red triangle.
A young woman named Noor, who did not give her last name, spoke about her anguish. She said four family members in Gaza were killed and eight of their homes were demolished.
鈥淭he past week has been a terrifying nightmare for us,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he grief and the heartbreak that followed were indescribable."
This wasn鈥檛 the first time her family has suffered losses. In 2014, she said her cousin and cousin鈥檚 children were killed during a 50-day-long Israeli military operation in Gaza, which began after Hamas kidnapped and killed three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.
A few days ago, she said, her cousin鈥檚 husband, who survived the 2014 attack, was killed when Israel鈥檚 military bombed his residential building.
鈥淭he constant fear of losing more of our family keeps us up at night,鈥� Noor said. 鈥淎s we gather here today, I urge you to recognize the humanity in this crisis. These are not just statistics or headlines. They鈥檙e the lives of families like mine torn apart by an ongoing apartheid.鈥�
Rallies and protests have taken place across the United States in support of Israel and the Palestinian community.
Last week, gathered at Beth-El Congregation in Fort Worth for a solidarity vigil for Israel.
Rabbi Zimmerman of Beth-El Congregation mentioned the importance of the vigil being an all-community event and recognized Jewish, Protestant, Catholic and Islamic religious leaders during the vigil, .
鈥淚 know you and your community hurt as much as we hurt, and no words, prayers change what this is for both of us. Your presence here tonight means more than I can say,鈥� Zimmerman said, addressing the president of the Islamic Association of Tarrant County in the crowd.
Sunday's rally supporting Palestinians drew support from people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, including El Salvador, Mexico and Colombia.
Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt was also there and spoke to the crowd.
鈥淭his community is our community and as Palestine is under attack, as this genocide continues, as lives are lost, it鈥檚 important that the Black Lives Matter community stands with you all and let you all know that this is our community and that, yes, I am your brother,鈥� Merritt said.
Vicki Nassar, whose husband is Palestinian, said the past week has been devastating for them. Nassar鈥檚 husband has family in the West Bank and says the area is currently under an Israeli lockdown.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no words to describe it,鈥� Nassar said, referring to Israel鈥檚 military operation in Gaza. 鈥淵es, Hamas [attacked], but everybody鈥檚 ignoring the fact what Israel is doing in retaliation. They are not punishing Hamas. They鈥檙e punishing the Palestinian people.鈥�
Nassar said she鈥檚 fielded a lot of questions about the war from friends and family members during the past week.
鈥淭his has been going on for 75 years. This didn鈥檛 just happen last week,鈥� Nassar said. 鈥淭his has been an ongoing thing and people believe the last six days is where it started. No, look up your history.鈥�
For Nada Elarja, who鈥檚 18, the bombing in Gaza angers her.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e going through genocide. It鈥檚 not a war,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have weapons. It鈥檚 unfair and it鈥檚 unjust.鈥�
Elarja said her family has been grieving because they have relatives living in Gaza. She knows one family member there has died but not sure how others are doing or if they鈥檙e still alive because they don鈥檛 have a way of contacting them.
Elarja said she urges other young people to do their research and learn more about what鈥檚 happening in the region.
After Hamas militants launched an unprecedent attack Oct. 7 that left more than 1,300 people dead, Israel retaliated with attacks, cutting off electricity and water in Gaza. Food and medical care are also in short supply. Reports indicate more than 2,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza in the latest military offensive.
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