Peace rally held in Boston as families call for help bringing loved ones home from Gaza
BOSTON - Hundreds of Jewish and Palestinian demonstrators rallied outside the John F. Kennedy federal building in Boston Wednesday evening, demanding elected leaders like Sen. Elizabeth Warren push for a ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel.
The demonstration was organized by "If Not Now," an organization fighting for freedom and dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians. Passions got high and some demonstrators had to be removed in handcuffs, after they got inside the building and refused to leave when it closed.
"We're all here today from a place of grief and mourning, everyone here today knows someone in Israel or in Palestine who's being affected by this war," said Jewish demonstrator Elizabeth.
They sang for the thousands of lives lost, the hostages, and those still trying to make their way back home.
"I appreciate the people who came to my office to share their perspectives and experiences - that's what democracy is about," said Warren in a statement. "Israel has both a right to defend itself from terrorist attacks and an obligation to protect innocent civilians under the international laws of war. Palestinian civilians have a right to humanitarian aid including food, water, shelter, and medicine. There is an urgent need for safe corridors in Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, and I will continue to emphasize the imperative to protect civilians."
Among the sea of protestors, Sammy Nabulsi passed out fliers for the Okal family from Medway. Abood Okal, Wafaa Abuzayda and their 1-year-old Yousef are still trapped in Gaza, unable to cross into Egypt with hundreds of other Americans and Palestinians. The family shared a picture of a nearby airstrike in Gaza, while they went to find dwindling milk for their baby, who now has an ear infection.
"They certainly feel abandoned, I feel abandoned, I don't know how we're going to get them out," said Nabulsi. "I'm obviously worried about this family because I know them, but there's 500 to 600 other American citizens over there and no one seems to be doing anything to get them out."
Nabulsi has worked tirelessly with state elected leaders from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to reach out to the State Department with no luck or answers. Many at the rally were frustrated by President Biden's speech from Israel Wednesday morning, saying he did not even address the topic or his efforts regarding the American citizens trapped in Gaza, who are running out of food, water, and fuel.
"The State Department has just completely lost control of the situation, so has the White House," said Nabulsi.
It's that dire humanitarian crisis that brought Ali Taweel to join the rally. He's Palestinian and thinking of his family and other families in harm's way.
"I cry five times a day, there's nothing we can do here except for this," said Taweel.