Pro-Palestinian rally at City Hall calls for cease-fire in Gaza
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It started outside City Hall and as this pro-Palestinian rally grew larger, the crowd's chants grew louder.
"End the occupation now. End the occupation now," the group chanted Saturday night.
Demonstrators waved the Palestinian flag Saturday night as others held signs to end the occupation.
"We're also here to send a clear message that Philadelphia stands with the people of Palestine and the Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation," a demonstrator said.
Hundreds of protesters also marched down Market Street.
Osama Al-Qasem is Palestinian and said he has friends living in Gaza.
"They are sitting ducks in an open space with nowhere to go and they're waiting for where the next bomb will land, it's like Russian roulette," Al-Qasem said.
Al-Qasem is one of the many in this crowd calling for a cease-fire and to let loved ones bury the dead and allow aid to reach innocent civilians in Gaza -- where many are left without necessities such as food, water or power.
He said this rally is also a show of support.
"The messaging we get from here is support Israel. Israel is defending itself, let's pray for the Israelis with no regard for the Palestinian lives," he said.
"I feel for the Palestinian people and when I see a Palestinian child that is hurt, I feel the same way I feel towards an Israeli child," Aviv Ezra said.
Ezra is a senior diplomat with the New York Israel Consulate, which oversees Pennsylvania.
He responded to the rally Saturday night saying this is not a war of choice and Israel must defend itself by targeting the terrorists that killed and injured many of its citizens.
"The question that should be asked -- not is it a tragedy, it is -- but the question is, who is to blame for this tragedy and the finger is directly pointed at Hamas," Ezra said.
The rally was peaceful, and people on both sides of the issue hope that in the coming days any future demonstrations will be the same.