Protesters gather in Chicago to call for end to new Israeli strikes in Gaza
Dozens of protesters gathered in Chicago's West Loop and marched downtown Tuesday afternoon, demanding an end to new Israeli bombings in Gaza.
The initial protest was held right outside Chicago's Israeli Consulate on Madison Street, near the Ogilvie Transportation Center. Protesters later marched down Clark Street past the City Hall/County Building.
The group Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine organized the "Hands off Gaza" event.
Israel this week launched new strikes in Gaza, killing more than 400 people, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run Health Ministry, and promising to wield "increasing military force" after talks on further hostage releases stalled, according to officials on both sides of the war.
The resumption of Israel's war against Hamas on Monday came after almost two months of relative calm in Gaza under a ceasefire the U.S. helped to broker, but which Israel and Hamas could not agree on how to continue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement its military is "currently attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip, with the aim of achieving the war goals as determined by the political echelon, including the release of all our hostages — living and dead."
