OCEAN CITY, MD — Palestinian flags dotted the Ocean City boardwalk on Saturday afternoon as over a hundred demonstrators gathered for a march for Palestine, urging a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The peaceful protest was organized with the help of The Islamic Community Outreach of Ocean City and their Women's Committee and aimed to bring attention to the devastating impact of the conflict.
Samaher Omar, an organizer, was one of many who stressed the end to the violence
"As a human being, not even as a Muslim or Palestinian, it’s heart-wrenching, and we felt like we needed to do something," said Omar.
“Have Muslims, Jews, Christians, live among each other with equal rights – and freedom and equality for everyone. I think that’s the ultimate goal for everyone," she continued.
The protesters, representing several different generations, began their march at North Division Street and made their way up and down the boardwalk.
Miriam Georges, one of several speakers at the event, called for an end to the war and expressed hope that their efforts would resonate locally with neighbors and politicians.
"It’s to show solidarity, that we have a lot of people here, that we are with the Palestinian lives and in the community as well," said Georges.
Despite the war being thousands of miles away, attendees stressed that they are part of a broader movement seeking to make a difference.
"It’s everywhere, all over the world, we are just one spot out of thousands, hundreds of thousands across the world, and we are just expressing ourselves like everyone else," said Iman Ashraf Ahmed.