Officials push for Gaza cease-fire

State Rep. Iman Jodeh, a Palestinian-American, leads effort to appeal to members of Congress

More than 50 current and former elected officials, community leaders, religious leaders and representatives of nonprofit groups called Thursday for Colorado’s congressional delegation to push more forcefully for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas to stop the killing of civilians.

“We must demand a cease-fire,” State Rep. Iman Jodeh said on the west steps of the Colorado Capitol in Denver. “We cannot allow the word cease-fire to become taboo. We cannot allow the word ceasefire to be the word that they fear the most.”

She added: “If we do, the next word that will be taboo is peace.”

Jodeh, an Aurora Democrat and Palestinian-American, penned an open letter earlier this month that has been signed by more than 100 leaders and groups in the state. It appeals for Congress to seek a “bilateral ceasefire, the return of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinian prisoners in Israel, full restoration of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and ensure the role the U.S. plays is to be an honest peace broker.”

She sent the letter to the state’s Democratic representatives in the U.S. House and Senate on Thursday.

The renewed call for a ceasefire came on the 75th day of Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has killed about 20,000 people. The campaign was launched in response to the Oct. 7 terror attacks by Hamas in Israel that killed an estimated 1,200 people, according to Israel’s official count, as another 240 were taken as hostages — more than 100 of whom are still believed to be in captivity.

Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Palestinian human rights activists and allies, including some of whom are Jewish, have met with members of Colorado’s con