23 October 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Hundreds gathered in Old Town Wichita Sunday to show support for Palestinian civilians caught in war areas.
The ‘I Stand with Palestine” rally started in the Old Town Square, then demonstrators made their way down Douglas Avenue carrying signs and flags and chanting.
Those at the rally said what they want most is peace.
For one of the rally’s organizers, conflict in the middle east split his family in two.
“My dad and mom walked for three days to get to Jordan and there was no place for them,” said Jay Hussien. “No people to help them out.”
Hussien helped organize the demonstration. Half of his relatives still live in the Palestine region, while the other half fled to surrounding countries including Jordan and Lebanon.
“The relatives we have in Gaza, we can’t even talk to them,” Hussien said. “We can’t hear their voices, we don’t know exactly if they’re still alive or if they already got killed.”
Hussien isn’t the only person directly impacted by the violence in the Middle East, according to demonstrator Karim Jibril.
“We have people in here that have direct family that are in Gaza that are literally fearing their lives,” Jibril said.
Demonstrators are marching against the loss of innocent lives, according to Jibril.
“It doesn’t matter, regardless, these are innocent lives,” Jibril said. “Whether they’re Palestinian or they’re family, it doesn’t matter. It’s not a religious thing, it’s not an ethnic thing.”
People at the rally said they were gathering to advocate for humanitarian aid and an end to violence in Gaza, or at least a cease fire.
“We would like to spread the peace all over the world,” Hussien said. “That’s it.”