Around 30 Sitkans gathered on Wednesday (8-7-25) to protest Israel’s blockade in Gaza and its continued effects. The group met at the roundabout joining Sitka’s two main state highways around 5:30 p.m. to share their message with the bulk of the community’s post-work traffic.

They stood along the sidewalk holding signs that read “Food not bombs” and “Fund schools, not genocide.” Many carried cooking pots and played them like instruments, calling attention to starvation in the region. 

“We have children and we have families, we have civilians being starved all over Gaza,” said Cindy Litman, one of the organizers of the demonstration. “Last Sunday, the number of people who died of starvation reached 175 that were documented.”

The group Sitkans for Peace and Democracy has been holding vigils every Saturday since December of 2023, initially calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. But this is the second emergency vigil the group has held in the past week. 

“When the situation in Gaza shifted so that the Israeli government began to use starvation of civilians as a weapon of war, it just felt like yet another line has been crossed,” Litman said. “I’m Jewish, and so I feel a special responsibility to let people know that this is not being done in my name, or the name of most Jews, and now we’re seeing mainstream Jewish organizations who have typically supported Israel finally saying that this violates every basic moral principle of Judaism, and so I feel like it’s a potential turning point right now.” 

Occasionally, at their Saturday vigils, they’re met with a handful of counter protestors. On Wednesday, one person showed up in opposition, displaying American and pro-Trump flags. But Litman said overall, she’s felt encouraged by the support from the community.

The Sitkans for Peace and Democracy group meets every Saturday at noon at the roundabout.