In a powerful display of solidarity, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in New York City on Sunday afternoon to demand an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. The demonstrators, numbering in the hundreds, took to the foot of the Manhattan Bridge, halting traffic on the heavily trafficked East River overpass.

Wearing shirts that read "Cease Fire Now" and raising their fists in the air, the protesters chanted "Let Gaza Live" to emphasize their demand for an end to the violence. Organized by Jay Saper of the Jewish Voice for Peace, the demonstration aimed to draw attention to the plight of thousands of Palestinians who are trapped under the rubble in Gaza.

Calling for President Joe Biden to halt his support of Israel's military campaign, Saper urged that "business as usual cannot continue." The protesters highlighted that polling shows a majority of Americans are in favor of a permanent and lasting cease-fire.

The central message of the demonstration was to insist that the United States ends its military support for Israel and pressures the Jewish state's leaders to cease their assault on Gaza. Saper emphasized that the protesters do not believe in a military solution and instead seek to address the underlying causes of violence, specifically the 75 years of Israeli apartheid and the 16 years of suffering and blockade faced by the people of Gaza.

During the protest, three demonstrators, including one woman and two men, were arrested by law enforcement sources. While the organizers claimed widespread support, ordinary New Yorkers expressed frustration as the traffic blockade disrupted their travel plans.

In addition to the protest in NYC, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside a Dunkin' Donuts in Hicksville, Long Island, to march past the offices of defense contractor Northrop Grumman. The protesters emphasized that the overwhelming number of fatalities in Gaza were women and children, with Farouk underscoring that "children have been orphaned in the blink of an eye" and that no political justification can justify such loss.

The demonstration in NYC and the march in Long Island are reflective of the growing concern and calls for action in response to the escalating violence in the Middle East. As international pressure mounts, all eyes are on President Biden and his stance on Israel's military campaign, with many hopeful for a peaceful resolution that prioritizes the lives and well-being of both Palestinians and Israelis.