ST. LOUIS — Israelis and Palestinians in St. Louis are continuing to rally as tensions heighten in the war. The two groups are gaining more support from communities in the city as emotions become more raw and tensions are heightened.
"The question is what else could Israel do? Israel's damned if you do and damned if you don't," Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg with the United Hebrew Congregation said.
Muhammad Masri attended the Palestine protest which was organized by the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, and Jewish Voice For Peace.
"They're being ethically cleansed from this earth. We're all refugees. It's not a conflict. It's not a war. It's a genocide," Masri said.
Both Israel and Palestine supporters say what's happening is terrifying.
Through it all, both groups continue to show support by rallying and protesting. Protesters also held a rally and silent prayer in Forest Park on Sunday called "STL for Israel." Both Jewish people and members of other faith communities gathered calling for solidarity with Israel.
"It's very hard being Jewish in this world today. And even harder to be an Israeli. It seems like the world doesn't care about us anymore," Snir Dagan said.
On the same evening just minutes away in downtown Clayton, protesters for Palestine held an emergency protest.
Hundreds waved flags and chanted, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
"At the end of the day, all we have is each other, especially being Muslim, and standing here today really makes a difference," Addel Othman said.
As days turn to weeks and more people are killed, both Israelis and Palestinians continue to hold journalists accountable for telling their stories correctly.
"Seeing the lies and the rumors and the misinformation on social media and on the news, it's frustrating. I live there and I know what's going on in Gaza, in Israel," Dagan said.
Othman went on to say, "It's biased, they only cover one side, they're never covering our side. And it makes us feel like we're the bad guys and they're the good guys," Othman said.
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