From 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday, groups of protesters are holding a vigil for the more than 30,000 people killed in Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
Dozens gathered in Federal Plaza on Thursday morning to hear names of Palestinians killed read out loud. With each name that passed, a number symbolizing the death toll went up.
The war began after terrorist attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7 of last year left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead, many of whom were civilians. Around 250 people were taken hostage in the initial attacks.
Though the Gaza Health Ministry does not differentiate between military and civilian deaths, it estimates that women and children make up approximately two-thirds of the over 30,700 deaths in Gaza.
"We are here today trying to give a meaning to each life to show that life represents a future that has been lost," Marty Levine, a member of the group Jewish Voice for Peace said. He is standing in solidarity with Palestinians.
"I spent a career working for a Jewish community that believes all life is valuable," he said. "It's hard to hear these names."
For some in attendance, the pain is palpable and personal.
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“Refaat here is a close friend of mine. He was killed on December 6," Jennifer Bing told NBC Chicago. “I think about him every day.”
She said Refaat Alareer was a prominent professor of English literature, poet and often taught people in Gaza to speak English.
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"I hope we don’t have to keep reading names," Bing said. "[And] that our government will listen to the cries for ceasefire.”
The timing of the vigil and protest are intentionally set to coincide with President Biden's State of the Union address Thursday night. This group has a different message to share: they want a ceasefire and end to U.S. aid to Israel.
"We do not want our taxes to go to kill people, we want our taxes to go help people," Pilsen resident Laura Paz said. "We’re very outraged that men, women and children are dying for what reason? I’m Mexican, and I’m in solidarity with the people because they’re our sisters and brothers.”
Meanwhile, an estimated 100 Israeli hostages remain in captivity. President Biden spoke this week about a proposed hostage deal in Gaza, saying it's in the hands of Hamas right now.
Families of the Israeli hostages are expected to be in attendance at the State of the Union Thursday.
