100 Congressional Staffers Hold Vigil to Demand Ceasefire in Gaza

A group of more than 100 congressional staffers held an interfaith vigil on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to pay tribute to the civilians killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and call for a ceasefire. According to images from the scene, thousands of flowers were placed on the ground to honor the reported 1,400 Israelis killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and the 10,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s retaliation. In a statement, the group said, “We are no longer comfortable staying silent… We are horrified by the overwhelming response by the Israeli government that has killed thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.” They later said that they were answering their constituents’ pleas for a ceasefire since their “bosses” were not listening. “We demand our leaders speak up: call for a cease-fire, a release of all hostages, and an immediate de-escalation now,” they said.