'Not going to stop': Protesters march in Raleigh, calling for ceasefire in Gaza
Protesters gathered Tuesday night in Moore Square, calling on the Israeli government to end its invasion of Rafah in Gaza and an end to hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
The protesters gathered just after 6 p.m. at the park and began marching down East Hargett Street just after 7 p.m. Those in attendance say they will continue their protests while the war continues.
“The boycotts are not going to stop [and] the protests are not going to stop until Palestine is free,” said Omar Nabulsi.
The protest comes after Israeli forces seized the Rafah border crossing in Gaza. Israel moved into the territory after saying a ceasefire agreement by Hamas brokered by Qatar and Egypt was not what they agreed to.
Since Israel began its war with Hamas after militants attacked and killed 1,200 people on Oct. 7 in Israel, more than 34,000 people, many of whom are women and children, have died in Gaza. Israel and Hamas previously agreed to a ceasefire in November, which saw the return of Adrienne "Aviva" Siegel, wife of Chapel Hill native Keith Siegel.
Local health officials in Gaza do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their death tolls.
Several college campuses protests nationwide, including at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have called for the divestment from businesses tied from Israel. The protests at UNC on April 30 turned tense after police removed protesters from the campus quad after protesters removed an American flag and replaced it with a Palestinian flag.
Many in the crowd in Raleigh said they want the war to end and are asking more North Carolinians to call for a ceasefire.
“I want them to know we want this war to end,” Samira Haddad said. “We are concerned and we are worried about the people in Gaza.”
As of May 7, only two municipalities in the state, including Durham, have adopted resolutions for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The Raleigh City Council put the resolution up for a vote, but it failed to pass in March.
Israeli authorities have told residents in Rafah to evacuate, but protesters said those left in the region have nowhere safe to go.
“It was the last safe zone they were told to evacuate to,” Nabulsi said. “The only place they can go to is not even livable.”
The protest was peaceful and no one was arrested, and organizers said they are planning another protest this weekend.
