About 100 protesters gathered in the River Market District on Saturday between noon and 1:30 p.m., rallying in opposition to Israel's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Members of the Islamic Center of Little Rock organized the protest, which took place during the Little Rock Farmers Market.

Yasmin Hamad, 27 of Little Rock, coordinated the rally. She said the rising death toll has alarmed Little Rock residents with families in Palestine.

"We have Christians, we have Muslims, we have people that are just here for the cause alone," she said. "We're talking about the situation between Israel and Gaza right now ... just trying to stand in support of the U.S. in general trying to get them to look with a clear eye that this is not an equal war and it never will be."

Hamad said the group had not received a permit for Saturday's event and therefore could not march through the farmers market area as planned. She said the group would keep protesting as long as Israel's campaign continues. Members intend to get a permit for a rally next Saturday.

Ebrahim Abunasrah and Hadeel Haja, both 27 and of Little Rock, went to the event Saturday with their daughter. Abunasrah said he worries constantly about his relatives in Gaza.

"I'm not really one to talk about politics," he said, "but when I see my friends and family getting killed in Palestine and it keeps happening day after day after day, it keeps me up at night."

Jim Ford, a farmers market vendor from Little Rock, watched the protest Saturday. While he didn't take a political stance on the conflict, he said the violence upsets him as a Christian.

"I love the Muslim brother just like I love the non-Muslim brother -- I love the Christian brother just like I love anybody else," he said. "And I believe we all should have the same rights because we're human beings. And this is the point that [fighters] are forgetting: You're killing human beings."

A Section on 07/20/2014