Protesters rally outside Trump’s New York hotel against starvation in Gaza

On Monday, protesters convened outside the Trump International Hotel in New York City to express their opposition to Israel’s policies regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

This demonstration, organized by the Jewish-American anti-occupation group IfNotNow, attracted hundreds of participants to Columbus Circle under the slogan “Trump: Jews Say No More.”

The protestors advocated for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza and called for increased access to essential humanitarian aid for affected populations.

Protesters also held signs reading “Stop ethnic cleansing,” “Never again is now,” “Stop starving Gaza,” and “Not in our name,” Britain’s The Guardian reported.

“Let’s not mince words, the Israeli government’s blockade of Gaza is a policy of ethnic cleansing by way of forced mass starvation,” said Morriah Kaplan, IfNotNow’s interim executive director, in a speech.

She added that the US government needs to “use its considerable leverage to end these horrors.”

The New York Police Department intervened in the protest, arresting more than 40 people.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 61,000 Palestinians, almost half of them women and children. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.