PATERSON, N.J. (PIX11) — Muslim leaders in the United States continue to call for a ceasefire in Gaza to protect the lives of civilians.
However, the idea is not gaining much traction.
“Our elected officials have an obligation to all of our constituents, including our Muslim and Palestinian constituents,” said Selaedin Maksut with the Council on American Islamic Relations New Jersey.
Nevertheless, Israel and its American allies say a ceasefire is premature until Hamas can be rooted out and the hostages are freed.
President Biden has called on Israel to preserve civilian lives, and brokered some humanitarian relief to Gaza, but has not encouraged Israel to stop bombing Gaza following the brutal Hamas terror attack that kicked off this war.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also showed her support for Israel with a visit.
“We must stand with the people of Israel to fight back against this evil,” Hochul said. “Less Hamas feels emboldened to attack other cities in must be contained here, and now. Yes, we are good people, and we want to get humanitarian aid to those civilians, but not in a way that will support Hamas, which must be decapitated.”
At a rally Thursday with Muslim leaders in Paterson, NJ there was no discussion of accountability for the Hamas terror group, which killed at least 1,300 Israeli civilians and continues to launch rockets.
PIX11 News asked: “If the primary goal right now is to stop civilians from dying, why not ask both sides to stop firing?”
“The primary cause of civilian death is Zionist oppression, Israeli oppression,” said Wassim Kanaan with American Muslims for Palestine. “We are focused on that, because it is the primary cause of thousands (of deaths), of decades of oppression and murder.”
