Protesters Take Over Capitol Over Hamas, Israel War

Protesters moved to the inside of the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday demanding a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Footage of the protest inside the Cannon building has circulated online, with participants heard chanting "ceasefire now."

On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest airstrikes against Gaza with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying his country was "at war" and cutting off supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine to Gaza. At least 1,400 people in Israel and 2,800 people in Gaza have been killed in the conflict, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday. Since the fighting began, many across the world have reacted to events unfolding by holding pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests, provoking strong reactions from each side.

In the videos shared to X, formerly Twitter, protesters can be seen waving banners, with one saying, "Jews say ceasefire now!"

Chad Pergram of Fox News was one of those who shared the footage of the protest to X saying, "Massive Mideast protest in the Cannon House Office Building. Signs reading "Jews demand ceasefire."

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, shared on X her own footage of the protest in a 14-minute video, saying: "There's an insurrection happening now on Capitol Hill."

Jewish Voice for Peace, a progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization, said it is holding a sit-in at Congress, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

"HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of American Jews are holding a sit-in at Congress—and we won't leave until Congress calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. As thousands of U.S. Jews protest outside, over 350 are inside, including two dozen rabbis, holding prayerful resistance," Jewish Voice for Peace wrote on X.

"We're here to say: not in our names, and never again. And we'll continue our civil disobedience until Congress calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, or until they force us to leave," Jewish Voice for Peace added in another post to X.

Outside the Capitol, ABC News journalist Jay O'Brien shared a photo of protesters appearing to block the intersection.

"Protestors chanting "Let Gaza Live" blocking intersection outside the US Capitol," O'Brien wrote on X.

It comes after conflicting claims were reported of the source of Tuesday's deadly blast at the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza. According to the Associated Press, Hamas officials in Gaza quickly blamed an Israeli airstrike, saying nearly 500 were killed, while Israel denied it was involved.

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