Frustration, grief hallmarks of weekend rallies by Jewish, Palestinian communities

Anger, sorrow and frustration were all on display in downtown Ottawa this weekend as local Palestinian and Jewish communities held rallies and vigils amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

More than 2,600 Palestinians and more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in fighting that broke out more than a week ago, when Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Israel.

Israel has since ordered more than one million Palestinians living in the northern part of Gaza to move south, as it prepared for a major ground campaign to dismantle the militant group.

• ANALYSIS | Grief and rage are consuming Israel — was that what Hamas intended?
• Canadian officials turn up volume on calls for humanitarian access to Gaza

"The last week has been, I would say, one of the most mentally exhausting weeks of my entire life," said Maha Buhisi, who helped organize a silent vigil for Palestinians on Saturday.

"You want to mourn, you want to grieve, you want to feel what your people back home are feeling. But at the same time, you want to do something."

Buhisi said she learned last week that her uncle, her cousin and his two-year-old daughter had died in the violence engulfing the region.

Now, her worry is getting in touch with her more than 200 family members who remain in Gaza.

• Palestinians in Ottawa 'praying for a miracle' for family in Gaza as airstrikes continue

"The first couple of days [of the conflict] we were able to at least contact our family ... every couple of days we were able to hear from them," she said.

"[Now] I'm finding myself going on Twitter and searching up my last name to see if my house has been hit, to see if any more of my family members have died."

Pair of marches Sunday

Saturday's silent vigil was followed by marches the following day, organized by both the local Palestinian and Jewish communities.

Sunday's "Rally for Israel" kicked off at Ottawa City Hall in the afternoon, before marching toward Parliament Hill. Marchers carried signs with photos of the more than 100 Israelis still being held by Hamas.

"I believe that all of the hostages that were taken need to be freed immediately," said Jenny Shinder, who was at the rally.

• Jewish, Palestinian communities in Ottawa fear local threats as conflict rages on

• Family of Israeli Canadian woman killed by Hamas heartbroken, outraged

"And of course, like everyone, I want peace and want this to end. [But] we need to fight terrorism, and we need to end this right now."

Many at the march had friends who were killed, wounded, kidnapped or displaced in the "horrific massacre by Hamas," said Doree Kovalio, who helped organize the rally.

"This is so important for all of us here ... to demonstrate publicly our united strength and support — unequivocal support — for the state of Israel," Kovalio said.

Earlier in the day, members of the Palestinian community gathered on Parliament Hill and voiced their opposition to both Israel's blockade of Gaza and Canada's lack of condemnation.

They also marched through downtown, including a stop at the Israeli Embassy.

"Israel controls [Gaza's] water, its electricity — and right now they've completely shut all of that off. They are starving the people," said Sarah Abdul-Karim, a member of the Ottawa chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement and one of the organizers.

"At the same time, they are bombarding them and using absolutely disgusting methods of warfare."

As of Sunday, five Canadians had been confirmed to have been killed in the region, according to Global Affairs Canada. Another three are still missing.