“I find it a violation of human rights to block off medical supplies and bomb the living daylights out of [the Gaza Strip],” Hamwi said.
 
Hamwi has attended five protests so far and has gone mostly with friends. He plans to join the human rights organization Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER).  The Dec. 19 protest in San Francisco, organized by ANSWER,  started at the Israeli Consulate and ended at the city hall.

“Not everyone there was of Arab descent,” Hamwi said. “There were Hispanics, Jews, Asians… It was ethnically diverse.”

Although he is currently protesting for human rights, he hopes to see peace in the future.

"I want to see West Gaza and Israel living in peace, and I don't want to see innocent people dying," Hamwi said.

Juniors Nimah Haq and Safeer Mohiuddin, who are both Muslim, participated in the protests at Santana Row on the same day.
 
Mohiuddin heard about the protests through Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), a human rights organization, and joined the protests mainly to raise awareness and for religious reasons.

“Jerusalem is the sacred land to both [Islam and Judaism], so it's also our holy land. [Israel] can’t just take it away,” Mohiuddin said.

However, he states that he protested mainly for human rights.

“1.5 million people living on a 6 by 25 mile piece of land— even the U.N said that [the living conditions of Gaza] are inhumane,” Mohiuddin said.

Haq held signs with her family and chanted by the intersection of Winchester Blvd. and Stevens Creek Blvd. to raise awareness and protest the bombings. Before the protest, she also participated in a fund raiser dinner organized by individuals at her mosque to raise money for the Gaza strip. She is also protesting against the violation of human rights. Haq was surprised at the ignorance of those around her.

"People should know about [the bombings], I mean they should watch the news," Haq said.

Haq, Mohiuddin, and Hamwi will continue to protest until the bombings end.

“It’s a human rights thing. It’s common sense,” Hamwi said. "I'm willing to make personal sacrifices to see [the end of the bombings] happen."

Israel and the Gaza Strip agreed to a ceasefire on Jan. 18.