Hundreds of protesters marched to demand that Israel leave Gaza during the Oct. 4 “Rise up for Gaza” rally in downtown D.C. as a part of the Palestinian Youth Movement’s International Day of Action against “two years of genocide.”
Israel and Hamas have since agreed to a ceasefire, with the first phase of the plan in effect as of Oct. 9. It has included the return of the 20 living hostages held by Hamas and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel for the past two years, according to the Associated Press.
The ceasefire has faced a rocky start as Israel has now been accused of breaking the agreement at least 80 times, according to Gaza’s media office and as reported by Al Jazeera. Israel has also accused Hamas of breaking the ceasefire, as NPR reported.
Protesters rallied for an arms embargo and sanctions against Israel’s offensive on Gaza, which was declared a genocide by a U.N. commission of inquiry on Sept. 16. The death toll has now passed 62,000 and injuries total over hundreds of thousands, mostly Palestinian, according to a report from The United Nations.
Olivia DiNucci was one of the CODEPINK organizers leading the protest. She recently interrupted President Donald Trump’s dinner at a D.C. restaurant to chant “Free D.C. Free Palestine. Trump is the Hitler of our time.”
“We have to see the struggles of people we don't know,” DiNucci told The Eagle on Saturday.
During the protest, people held signs protesting President Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in addition to those relating to Palestine, addressing the intersectionality of their causes.
“The abductions that are happening in our city, like D.C., in Chicago, are very reminiscent of abductions that happen by the IOF [Israeli Occupation Forces],” DiNucci said.
DiNucci said holding government leaders accountable for war and death was at the heart of CODEPINK’s mission of worldwide peace.
“With most things that the U.S. government is involved in, we need a complete systemic overhaul,” DiNucci said. “The future of Palestine should be in the hands of Palestinians.”
Eric Hammel, 64, traveled from Philadelphia to show support for the movement, motivated by both history and identity. He wore a pin with a Palestinian flag and a Star of David marked squarely in the middle.
As a Jewish man, Hammel said he rejected the conflation of Judaism and Zionism.
“The state of Israel didn’t even exist at that point,” Hammel recalled of his mother’s activism opposing imperialism in the 1940s. “Of course, most American Jews were not Zionists.”
Mark and Susan Haag said their Judaism informed their activism too. Both wore red shirts with the phrase “Not in Our Name” written across the back. This slogan has been adopted by Jewish Voice for Peace, a Jewish-led organization that supports Palestinian liberation.
Susan Haag said the value of “Tikkun Olam,” a Hebrew phrase that translates to “repairing the world,” called her to march for Gaza on Saturday. Mark Haag’s reason was straightforward, too: “Respect for life.”
The sound of beating drums accompanied calls like “U.S. Congress, you will see, Palestine will be free,” as the protesters made their way through the streets of downtown D.C.
Before organizers arrived, police officers answered questions from protesters about the gathering point, such as when organizers would arrive and the correct time of the protest. Around thirty minutes later, the crowd swelled as organizers arrived and started pushing back against the police presence.
“Please stop intimidating,” one leader with a megaphone said.
As the groups started marching toward 1st St. NW, officers on bikes yelled back with directions to remain on the sidewalk. Across from the Washington Monument, protesters stopped to hear from organizers.
Anyssa Dhaouadi, one of the organizers from PYM, guided protesters along and passed out flyers for their cause. PYM has been holding consistent protests since Oct. 7, 2023.
“Our people have constantly been suffocated, constantly been brutalized, and been displaced from their homes,” Dhaouadi said. “We're in a moment where our movement is the strongest that it's ever been in this fight for liberation.”
Dhaouadi said she was not confident the ceasefire plan, which has since gone into effect, would lead to long-lasting peace for Palestinians.
“Trump's 21-step plan is not a peace plan...who is actually benefiting?” Dhaouadi said. “We have to actually look and see that our people are not being offered a chance at peace, a chance to return to their homes, or a chance to actually live with dignity.”
Along with the release of Israelis and Palestinians, the first phase of the plan has included the start of Israeli troops' withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas has since accused Israel of violating the ceasefire at least 80 times, with a report from Gaza’s Government Media Office of 97 Palestinian deaths and 230 injuries since Oct. 10.
This article was edited by Gabrielle McNamee, Neil Lazurus, Abigail Hatting and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Emma Brown, Ariana Kavoossi, Avery Grossman, Audrey Smith and Ava Stuzin. Fact checking done by Aidan Crowe.
