At State of the State speech, protesters draw attention to starvation, death in Gaza

An annual speech by Gov. John Carney that typically focuses on how good things are in Delaware was intermittently interrupted Tuesday by protesters seeking to draw lawmakers' eyes to death and starvation in Gaza.

A handful of protesters interrupted Carney's annual State of the State speech multiple times, calling on lawmakers to acknowledge and take action against the Israeli military campaign that has killed 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October.

They shouted things like "permanent cease-fire now," and "stop funding genocide" as they were ejected from the balcony overlooking the state House of Representative chambers where lawmakers from both the House and Senate had gathered for the speech.

They were escorted from the building without any legal action by authorities.

Dounya Ramadan of Wilmington held a sign reading, "29,000 Palestinian lives taken with U.S. Tax $$$" as she was ejected. Outside, she said Carney and other state and federal elected leaders in Delaware have failed to acknowledge the "humanity" of the Palestinian plight.

They contrasted local officials' silence regarding suffering in Gaza to Carney's order last year directing the state's flags being flown at half staff following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 people were taken hostage, sparking the current Israeli bombing and ground-war campaign.

"He has never acknowledged (Palestinians') existence; he has not acknowledged their death," Ramadan said.

The Gaza Health Ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tally of 30,000 Palestinians killed, but says women and children make up around two-thirds of the total casualties, according to The Associated Press. As the death toll within Gaza continues to rise, aid groups say most of the territory's 2.3 million population has been displaced and are on the brink of famine.

As Carney exited the House chamber following his speech, he said the interruptions were "unfortunate, but understandable." He declined to clarify what that meant before going into a closed office.

Ahead of November's election, President Joe Biden is under pressure from Democratic voters and leaders to push for a permanent end to the conflict. After being booted from Legislative Hall, protesters implored lawmakers and leaders like Carney to join that pressure and acknowledge that taxpayer money and influence is enabling horrors in Gaza.

"Blood is on his hands," said Maryan Rahmai of Newark.

'We are involved in this'

The protesters emphasized that Delaware is Biden's home and drew on other local connections.

Hafsha Rahman said that Carney's speech touched on promoting opportunities for children in Delaware and education for children in Delaware, "while our money that is being sent to Israel is killing 12,300 children."

RECENT: US vetoes UN resolution demanding cease-fire in Gaza

Ramadan noted shipments of Israeli armaments sent through Dover Air Force Base a few miles away from Legislative Hall, emphasizing "we are involved in this."

She said pressure on the federal government has to start at the bottom and that Delaware officials enjoy relationships with Biden and federal lawmakers that must be leveraged.

"Unfortunately, it takes all of us in order to stop something that an entire federal administration does not want to stop," Ramadan said.

In November, scores of protesters marched on Biden's Greenville home. Then, a week later, an uncharacteristically large crowd of protesters successfully petitioned the Wilmington City Council to support a resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire.

Michaelena de Jesus of Wilmington was the first ejected from the speech. She said activists have tried quieter means of lobbying lawmakers, things like calling their offices, to no avail.

March on Biden's home: State congressional officials not in support of growing protests seeking Gaza cease-fire

"If we have to show up to your house, show up at public meetings ... we will do that until a permanent cease-fire is achieved," de Jesus said.

Protesters implore Sens. Coons, Carper to push for cease-fire

Protesters have taken their actions to the Wilmington homes of Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper in recent weeks, urging them to use both their political clout and congressional votes to pressure Israeli leaders to end the conflict.

Through a spokesperson, Coons said he "fully" supports "Americans exercising their right to peacefully protest." Coons' is part of a growing group of Congressional Democrats showing some willingness to place restrictions on military aid to Israel.

In a recent CNN interview shared by his spokesperson, Coons said he would support restrictions if Israel does not take into "account their obligation under international law to protect civilians and to facilitate the distribution of aid" during a looming ground invasion of the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

The prospect of an invasion of Rafah, where an estimated 1.4 million have sought shelter, has raised global alarm, and the area has already been the subject of shelling by the Israeli military in recent days, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier protest: State lawmaker among few Delaware officials protesting for permanent cease-fire in Gaza

Coons was in Israel and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late February.

"The debate we ended up engaging in was how much more of this can the Palestinian people take, can the region take, and the supporters of Israel around the world of Israel take?" Coons said in an interview with CBS News Philadelphia about the visit.

For those protesting Tuesday, that line was crossed a long time ago.

"The congressional delegation should only be advocating for an immediate and permanent cease-fire," Ramadan said.

U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester's office did not reply to an email seeking comment. Carper's office declined to comment on the protests. On social media, his office cheered a U.S. airdrop of provisions into Gaza on Saturday.

de Jesus said federal lawmakers cannot, on one hand, call for further aid into the territory while also funding and not fighting against the military campaign.

"They cannot be the aid and the ammo," she said.

Meanwhile, talks continue in Egypt toward a temporary cease-fire and hostage exchange.

Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com.

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: At State of the State speech, protesters draw eyes to death in Gaza