(MENAFN) Hundreds of protesters gathered Monday outside the Trump International Hotel in New York to denounce Israel’s starvation tactics in Gaza.

Organized by the Jewish-American anti-occupation group IfNotNow, the demonstration at Columbus Circle carried the message “Trump: Jews Say No More,” demanding an end to the Gaza war and increased humanitarian aid access.

Signs at the rally read slogans such as “Stop ethnic cleansing,” “Never again is now,” “Stop starving Gaza,” and “Not in our name,” according to Britain’s The Guardian.

Morriah Kaplan, interim executive director of IfNotNow, called Israel’s blockade of Gaza a form of ethnic cleansing through forced mass starvation and urged the US government to leverage its influence to stop the suffering.

The New York Police Department arrested over 40 protesters during the event.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has resulted in nearly 61,000 Palestinian deaths, nearly half of them women and children, devastating the region and pushing it toward famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice related to its actions in the enclave.

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