Hundreds in Winnipeg gather for Israel solidarity rally Tuesday

Hundreds gathered outside the Asper Jewish Community Campus on Tuesday night for a rally in solidarity with Israel and its people, giving Winnipeg's Jewish community an opportunity to stand with those directly affected by the violence.

The four-day-old conflict between Israel and Hamas has claimed nearly 2,000 lives in total, authorities on both sides say.

"I'm sure everyone's affected in their own way, all for the negative," said Robyn Shapiro, who was at Tuesday's rally. "The posts that I've been seeing on Facebook [and] Instagram, everyone is broken, including myself." 

"We just feel that ... Hamas has taken down our morale, but I know that we can rise above it." 

Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip launched surprise attacks in Israel Saturday morning, crossing into Israeli towns and firing a barrage of rockets. Israel responded by launching airstrikes in Gaza.

The Israeli military has said more than 1,000 people have been killed in Israel, while at least 900 people have been killed in the West Bank and Gaza, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said Tuesday. Thousands have also been wounded on both sides. 

A contingent of students from Danciger High School in Israel along with their principal, Ofer Zafrni, were among the sea of people at Tuesday's rally. Danciger is the sister school of the Gray Academy of Jewish Education in Winnipeg, and the delegation from Israel arrived in the city last Wednesday as part of the "Partnership 2Gether" program. 

"For the last 26 years this is one of the powerful [experiences] that our students [have], but this year, something else happened," he said in an address during the rally.

"I think for the first time, we feel why it is so important to [strengthen] this connection." 

Zafrni said being together at Tuesday's rally gives people power and strength during what he called a "nightmare we are having." 

"Since I was born, I never thought that we'll be in this situation," he said. "I would like to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of all the Israelis that are here and not here, for the power that you are giving us, to hear you, standing here giving us the hope that better days will come."

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson and Premier-designate Wab Kinew were among a handful of political leaders in attendance at the rally who condemned Hamas.

Stefanson also acknowledged Vivian Silver, a Jewish humanitarian originally from Winnipeg whose son fears she was taken hostage by Hamas in Israel, during a speech Tuesday night.

"We recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and affirm our support for justice and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians," she said. "However, there must be no mistake, Hamas does not represent these aspirations."