Protesters Surround White House With Massive ‘Red Line’ Banner…

Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Saturday surrounded the perimeter of the White House with a “red line” banner.

Protesters told media outlets the connected pieces of red fabric that made up the banner, which they believed would stretch for two miles, was meant to symbolize a red line they were drawing for President Joe Biden over his support for Israel in the war on Gaza.

Biden said in May that he would pause U.S. weapons being sent to Israel if the country’s forces went into areas of Rafah. The White House later said Israel had not crossed the president’s “red line” with its operations.

Names of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were reportedly written on the red banner that encircled the White House.

Alejandro Alvarez, a reporter and photographer, posted a clip on X (formerly Twitter) of a timelapse video he made of the red banner.

“The ‘people’s red line’ is complete. My best effort at a timelapse of the whole thing start to finish, encircling the White House in a mile-long chain with only a few short gaps left open for people to walk across,” Alvarez wrote in the caption of his post.

In a separate message, Alvarez said, “Happening now: Thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators are unfurling a long red banner around the White House. They’re calling it the ‘people’s red line,’ condemning Biden for not withholding military aid for Israel amid its deepening offensive in Rafah.”

Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, taking around 250 hostages and killing about 1,200 people, Israel has launched a massive military offensive, utilizing aerial bombardments and ground operations. About half of the hostages, meanwhile, were freed during a temporary ceasefire in November, which also saw 240 Palestinians freed from Israeli jails.

Saturday’s protest in Washington, D.C. took place hours after Israel rescued four hostages kidnapped by Hamas from its October 7 attack. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least east 94 Palestinians, including children, were killed by the Israeli operation. A spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing also claimed without evidence that Israel killed some of its hostage during the raid.

When contacted by Newsweek for a separate story about Gazan officials’ comments regarding civilian deaths during Israel’s raid, an Israeli Defense Force’s spokesperson said in an email: “We advise the media not to use information from the Hamas terrorist organization’s propaganda machine. This operation is solid proof of the fact that Hamas is hiding behind civilians and is holding hostages in the midst of densely-populated civilian areas.”

The statement added: “The IDF has an obligation to bring our hostages back home and we are determined to do so while operating in accordance with international law and the values of the IDF. Every loss of civilian life is a tragedy—a tragedy that Hamas brought upon us all. The IDF will continue to take all feasible measures in order to minimize civilian casualties, while maintaining its efforts to rescue all the hostages and dismantling the terrorist organisation that uses civilians as a human shield.”

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Saturday night for comment.bled’)}})}})})