Pro-Palestine activists call on Allegheny County Council to pass ceasefire resolution in Israel/Hamas war

Over 70 speakers filled the Allegheny County Council chambers Tuesday evening and called for the local government body to pass a resolution supporting a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel/Hamas war.

The residents and activists pressured the 15 council members to join other local bodies across the country in calling for a ceasefire. On Monday, the city council in Durham, N.C. passed a ceasefire resolution, becoming the 70th city in the U.S. to do so.

There was no ceasefire resolution on the Allegheny County Council agenda, but advocates hoped to pressure council members to add one in the coming weeks.

There were also a small handful of speakers who opposed a ceasefire resolution.

Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena, D-Carnegie, said the speakers presented “important discourse” but said he needs to hear from the rest of council before considering any ceasefire-related resolution would be brought to a vote.

He said it is up to an individual council member to introduce a resolution.

This week, the Palestinian death toll eclipsed 29,000 from Israeli attacks on Gaza and more than 69,000 have been wounded, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

The Middle Eastern war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 men, women and children hostage. After a round of exchanges for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel in November, around 130 remain captive, a fourth of them believed to be dead.

The council chambers in Downtown Pittsburgh were packed Tuesday evening and comments lasted several hours.

Ahmed Arafat, of Churchill, said he has four sisters living in Gaza and their families are suffering under the Israeli offensive. He said his best friend was killed while trying to evacuate Gaza.

He urged county council to pass a ceasefire resolution to send a signal that the violence must end.

“We cannot change the past, but we can change the future,” Arafat said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until “total victory” against Hamas.

The U.S., Israel’s top ally, says it is still working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to try to broker another cease-fire and hostage release agreement. But those efforts appear to have stalled in recent days. And Netanyahu angered Qatar by calling on it to pressure Hamas and suggesting it funds the militant group.

Zane Aqra, of Penn Hills, said his grandmother is still living in Palestine and he is concerned about her safety. He said he understands the politics of the conflict are fraught, but said that shouldn’t overpower the human issue.

“What Israel is doing is not political, it is a human rights issue,” Aqra said.

Morgan Faeder, of Squirrel Hill, said he is Jewish and he supports a ceasefire in the conflict.

He said Israel is not fulfilling its promise as a nation to bring a positive light to the world.

“I have hope that Jews and Palestinians can take up the promise and be the light upon the nations,” he said.

Some speakers said they had previously met with Councilman Paul Klein, D-Shadyside, and were expecting him to introduce a ceasefire resolution.

Klein said he did meet with advocacy group Jewish Voices for Peace and listened to their suggestions to a ceasefire resolution, but did not commit to one.

He said Tuesday’s meeting acted as a de facto public hearing, and should allow council members to consider if they want to introduce a ceasefire resolution.

Klein said the testimony from speakers, including many who have lost family and friends in Gaza, was “compelling and deeply troubling.” He said it was a responsible course of action to hear from constituents .

When asked if he would introduce a ceasefire resolution, Klein said “it is hard to say.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.