Local officials joined gatherers at a rally in Highland Park Sunday as they called on hostages to be released on the six-month anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war.
Approximately several hundred people gathered at Port Clinton Square in Highland Park.
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, U.S. Representative Brad Schneider, State Senator Julie Morrison and State Representative Bob Morgan attended the rally and subsequent march in support of Israel.
“For the families of the captives, today is another 24 hours of anguish, grief, despair and anxiety,” Morrison said.
Schneider said the war has led to “great suffering, devastation, and loss of life.”
“Hamas intentionally uses the people over whom they rule as human shields, seeking to cause as many civilian casualties as possible so that the international community will stop Israel from winning the war, and allow Hamas to continue oppressing Palestinians in Gaza and threatening Israel,” Schneider said.
“The basic principles that were true six months ago remain true today: Israel must defeat Hamas. Failure to do so will mean more October 7ths and more devastating wars,” he said.
Schneider called for the remaining hostages to be returned. “Time is of the essence.”
More than 1,200 people, including at least 32 Americans, died in the October 7 attack and approximately 5,500 were injured. More than 250 were taken hostage into Gaza.
Retaliatory attacks in Gaza against Hamas have resulted in approximately 32,000 Palestinians dead and over 74,000 injured.
Schneider said it is believed there are five Americans still alive in Gaza — Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Keith Samuel Siegel and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. “We must do everything to get them home as soon as possible,” he said.
WGN-TV reported a significant police presence at the rally, with officers escorting one person out of the area after they yelled at the crowd.