Senator Sanders Urges Ceasefire in Gaza as Capitol Police Clash with Protesters

 US Senator Bernie Sanders has been vocal in his calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, urging President Biden to back a "humanitarian ceasefire" to provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people. However, the senator has also expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a permanent ceasefire, citing the reluctance of Hamas and the right-wing Israeli government to support such a move. In separate incidents, Capitol Police clashed with demonstrators participating in an interfaith vigil and civil disobedience outside the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where protesters were demanding lawmakers to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

Rep. Brad Sherman claimed that the protesters were "pro-terrorist" and "anti-Israel," while footage of the clashes showed law enforcement pepper-spraying the demonstrators. Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that heavy artillery and aerial bombardment by Israeli forces near the Al Quds hospital in Gaza had injured 49 people, including patients, displaced residents, and medical staff. The hospital also sustained damage, including to its critical care unit and water supply lines.

The organization warned of the possibility of a direct attack on the hospital, which is currently providing care for 500 patients and sheltering more than 14,000 internally displaced residents. These events highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the urgent need for a ceasefire to allow for the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.