Thousands of people across the US are protesting Israel’s retaliatory measures in Gaza

Tens of thousands of demonstrators were expected to fill the streets of Washington and other cities across America on Saturday to protest the scope and scale of Israel’s retaliation in Gaza for last month’s Hamas terrorist attack.

Saturday’s marches, planned to take place in major metropolitan areas including New York, Seattle and San Francisco, as well as in smaller cities like Orono, Maine, extend a range of vocal opposition to Israeli tactics that have lasted a week ago led to large demonstrations in Asia and Asia. European capitals.

Most Americans say they sympathize with Israel, even as they fear the war’s impact on their own country. But as Israel escalates its attacks on Gaza and the number of fatalities reported by Gazan authorities increases, US support for Palestinian civilians has also increased.

In a poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University, 84 percent of voters said they were concerned about the United States becoming militarily involved in the Middle East conflict. Nevertheless, a majority of 51 percent supported sending more military aid to Israel for their campaign against Hamas, and 71 percent supported humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Saturday’s demonstrations were poised to reflect the constellation of causes and groups that have long been associated with Palestinian politics, including student organizations, labor unions and anti-war campaigns.

Washington was expected to be a center of protest. As dump trucks and police vehicles blocked a section of Pennsylvania Avenue, blocks from the White House, and as a line formed more than a mile away at the Museum of the Palestinian People, keffiyeh-wearing protesters poured into Freedom Plaza.

Well before the planned start of the protest, many raised banners high and broadcast messages such as “Grieve for the dead, fight like hell for the living” and “Let Gaza live!” A coffin draped in a Palestinian flag sat on the ground not far from where more than a dozen adults and children held out another flag. Around 1 p.m., a call to prayer sounded through the square.

Many of the protesters, who had been milling around, turned away. At least for the time being, there were no counter-demonstrators to be seen.