Activists protest Washington’s stance on Gaza war near US embassy

AMMAN — Around 70 Jordanians gathered outside the US embassy in the capital’s upscale Abdoun neighbourhood on Sunday in protest against the US stance towards the Israeli war on Gaza.

During the demonstration, held by a coalition of nationalist and leftist parties, participants waved the Jordanian and Palestinian flags and held banners denouncing the Israeli aggression on innocent civilians.

They also burned the Israeli and US flags, and photos of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Othman Musa, said the US should treat Israelis and Palestinians equally. 

“The US gives Israel the right to bomb civilians and kill children,” he said. 

Rather than fighting Hamas, Israel is killing civilians, Musa added. 

Assad Al Zagha, another demonstrator, said the US should stop supporting Israel. 

“What is happening in Gaza is a war crime on an international level,” he added. 

Sahel Al Majali, one of the protesters, said he came to express solidarity with Gazans.

“This demonstration is a peaceful event for Palestine and this is the least we can do,” he added.

Um Majed, another demonstrator, said she took part in the sit-in to send a message to the international community and the United Nations to stop the bloodshed in Gaza. 

“We are seeing people being killed and houses being demolished every day,” she added. 

Sunday’s demonstration was the first to be held outside the US embassy since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on Gaza. 

The protest was one of several events held in solidarity with Gaza since the beginning of the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip on July 8. 

Over 1,700 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing assault and at least 9,000 have been wounded, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Palestinian officials.

Nearly 84 per cent of the casualties in Gaza are civilians, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA as cited by AFP.

OCHA says up to 475,000 people are believed displaced, among them 259,321 who are sheltering in 90 UNRWA schools. 

Another 200,000 people are believed to be staying with host families, while thousands more are taking shelter in government schools, AFP reported.

At least 12 Gaza hospitals have been damaged since the start of the assault, of which five have been closed down. Fourteen primary health clinics have also been damaged and 34 out of Gaza’s 75 clinics have been shut down, OCHA says.