Dozens of Chicago protesters gathered downtown Monday after Israeli airstrikes killed nearly 500 people in Lebanon hours earlier.
Lebanon’s health ministry said the strikes Monday killed 492 people, including 35 children and 58 women, and wounded over 1,600 people — just days after dozens were killed and thousands were injured in an attack on communication devices.
Protesters, who gathered at Ida B. Wells Drive and Michigan Avenue, were heard chanting “hands off Lebanon” as they called on the United Stated government to stop aiding Israel in the war.
An Oak Park woman who would only identify herself as Dima, 26, said her relatives in Lebanon live in strike zones and several family members have been injured in the attacks. Two of her relatives were seriously injured in Monday’s strikes while another was hurt last week during the pager attack.
“We have gotten no sleep all night just trying to get a hold of everyone there,” said Dima. “Last week in the pagers attack, one of my relatives had his eyes and hand blown off. Today, two others are in surgery and we are just waiting to hear if they’re going to live or not.”
Dima said she felt “restless at home” and joining the protest was her way of connecting with people who were going through similar experiences.
“My tax dollars are being used to fund this war to kill children,” she said. “This is a way for me to connect with other people who believe in the same things that I do. People who believe in liberation and who believe that genocide is wrong. None of this is antisemitic — this is just anti-war. Anti the killing of relatives or children.”
Dozens of protesters gathered in downtown Chicago to demand a ceasefire after hundreds of people were killed by Israel airstrikes in Lebanon September 23, 2024.
Cindy Hernandez/Sun-Times
Pro-Palestinians in Chicago have gathered to protest the war nearly every week since the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7 last year. Now just weeks away from the anniversary protesters say the news of Israel’s attacks in Lebanon weren’t shocking.
“It’s unfortunately unsurprising to me that 500 people have been killed just today,” said Muhammed Sankari, a member of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.
“Israel has enacted a regional war. They’ve attacked Iran, Syria and Lebanon and are committing genocide against the Palestinian people but none of this would be possible … none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for the continued support of the United States. Every bomb that killed a Lebanese person today was either paid for or delivered by the United States. We need to cut aid to Israel.”
Sankari, who is Lebanese, said his family in Lebanon has not been directly impacted by the attacks but felt it was important to show support for those who have.
“No one’s blood is more valuable than anyone else’s, and there is not a single Lebanese person that is more valuable than the people in Gaza who have been killed the last 11 months,” said Sankari. “This is the only thing that we know how to do — which is to stand together to raise our voice and to demand change. It doesn’t matter that I’m Lebanese today, everyone should be horrified by what’s unfolded in the last twelve hours.”
Israel’s defense minister said Israeli warplanes struck 1,600 Hezbollah targets Monday, destroying cruise missiles, long-and short-range rockets and attack drones. Thousands of Lebanese fled southern Lebanon to Beirut as Israel’s strikes intensified, according to the Associated Press.
Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Hezbollah began firing into Israel the following day to help Palestinian fighters in Gaza.
Israel has retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict has steadily intensified.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of transforming entire communities in the south into militant bases, with hidden rocket launchers and other infrastructure.
Israeli military officials say Hezbollah has launched some 9,000 rockets and drones into Israel since last October, including 250 on Monday alone, AP reports.
Over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since Oct. 7, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Contributing: Associated Press