Hawaii Muslim, Jewish leaders decry loss of civilian life amid intensifying Middle East conflict

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Jewish and Muslim communities are calling for an immediate solution to end the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The message comes following an airstrike hit a Gaza City hospital and killed hundreds of people.

The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 500 people were killed at the hospital. Most of the victims are women and children.

The facility was already filled with people injured from other bombings and seeking refuge.

Hamas blamed Israel for the tragedy.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the bombing a “war crime and massacre.”

After hours of investigating, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Hamas rockets misfired and caused the blast.

“We just released a few moments ago the information, the first packet of information, which is aerial footage showing the scene of the hospital from above and evidence that clearly supports the fact that it could not have been an Israeli bomb,” said Conricus.

“Because there was no collateral or significant damage to the buildings around it, no crater, and nothing that is similar to other locations where Israeli bombs have struck.”

Hakim Oansafi, chairman of the Board of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, isn’t convinced.

“By now, I think the entire world woke up to additional atrocities committed by the Israeli government,” said Oansafi. He put up Post-its at the Islamic Center’s Mosque in Manoa to visually show the number of lives tragically lost at the hospital.

Pink represents little girls, bright green represents little boys and yellow Post-its for other civilians.

Oansafi is calling for an immediate ceasefire.

“So we’re devastated,” said Oansafi. “We have people in our community, we have a couple hundred Palestinians that live here in Hawaii, and to see their loved ones like that, I mean, it’s hurtful.”

Hanah Rose, CEO of the non-profit A Voice for Israel, agreed it’s a “horrible tragedy.”

She added Israel is being falsely blamed for the attack.

Rose is also hoping Israel can help free Palestine.

“When you hear people say free Palestine, I agree — free Palestine, from Hamas from a terrorist organization that oppresses its people that has no regard for their lives,” said Rose.

“So hopefully, Israel can get in there and root Hamas out of Gaza so that the Palestinian people can indeed have a peaceful life in that area. They never have since Hamas violently took over in 2007.”