Phoenix, Arizona - Arizonans staged a sit-in in the Phoenix office of US Senator Mark Kelly on Tuesday to demand he support an immediate ceasefire in Israel's continued assault on Gaza.

Palestinian, Jewish, Muslim, and more Arizonans chanted "Ceasefire Now!" as they gathered in Kelly's office to express their pain and frustration with the US government's response to the brutal Israeli siege.

"There is a large consensus that what is happening in Gaza is collective punishment of the Palestinian people," Palestinian-American state Representative Athena Salman told one of Kelly's staffers, according to a press release.

"This budget year, we had to throw hundreds of thousands of Arizonans off their healthcare, off Medicaid," she continued. "Yet Congress and the President are saying we have the money for another war to bomb people who look like me? It's a humanitarian crisis."

Joke of the Day Joke of the Day for December 11, 2024: The best jokes to get your funny on

The US government provides weapons and billions of taxpayer dollars to the Israeli government each year. Even in the midst of the crisis in Gaza, lawmakers have continued to support the transfer of military aid in spite of widespread public opposition.

Meanwhile, demands for deescalation are growing across the US. Salman and 16 other Democrats in the Arizona state legislature sent a letter to President Joe Biden last week urging him to negotiate a ceasefire, but Kelly, a Democrat, has so far failed to echo those calls.

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas' military wing, the Israeli government has launched relentless, indiscriminate airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza, killing more than 11,000 people – mostly women and children – and displacing 1.5 million more.

Israel's targeting of civilian infrastructure and denial of food, water, electricity, and medical supplies to Gazans have spurred accusations of war crimes. International legal experts are increasingly sounding the alarm over Israel's genocide and US complicity in the atrocities.

Horrified by the violence unfolding in the Occupied Territories, many Americans of all backgrounds and faith traditions are rising up to say enough is enough.

Labor Unions Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema hand labor board majority to Republicans with latest obstruction

The sit-in in Kelly's office proved the latest demonstration of overwhelming popular support for an immediate ceasefire and Palestinian freedom.

Ten were arrested for their participation in the peaceful action, including Kai Newkirk, David Portugal, Uzma Jafri, Ren Manning, Vic Meadow, Angeles Maldonado, Mastaani Qureshi, Jessica Burke, Mariam Hina, and Bill Whitmire.