Protesters flock Milwaukee streets about Israel & Gaza fighting: "This is a humanitarian crisis, we need to stand for them"

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Fighting and bombings continue to escalate in Israel and Gaza. While Israel's leaders say they are fighting against the terrorist group Hamas, Palestinian supporter insist innocent people are also being targeted.

The screech of rush-hour traffic -- drowned out by the cries of Palestinian supporters, lining the sidewalk on Wisconsin Avenue Friday afternoon, July 18th.

"These are people who have been living under siege and occupation for all of their lives. They want to be free," says Othman Atta, director of Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

They are here for the second time this month, as the death tool in the Middle East conflict continues to rise. Two days ago, four boys were killed by Israel warplanes while playing on a Gaza beach.

"They've attacked a number of Palestinian institutions, individuals, mainly killing civilians," says Atta.

A U.N. reporter says nearly 80% of Gaza casualties have been civilians.

"We are here to demonstrate for the Palestinians and show our community that this is a humanitarian crisis and we need to stand for them," says Reema Hamdan, UWM Students for Justice In Palestine.

While innocent people are dying in Gaza, Hamas militants have fired their own rockets.

"This is all coming from a terrorist organizations that is funded by Iran," says Daniel Bader.

Bader was in Israel this week, visiting with Jewish families who have been living in fear.

"When I was in the south of Israel what I did was go from bomb shelter to bomb shelter because that is the lifestyle right now in the southern part of Israel," says Bader.

He hopes the U.S. continues to support Israel's fight against Hamas, which he says is the root cause of civilian tragedies on both sides. But for these Palestinian supporters, they see the conflict much differently, and took to the streets of Milwaukee to say so.

The supporters marched to Senator Tammy Baldwin's Milwaukee office, pleading that the U.S. stop funding Israel's army, calling it collective punishment of the Palestinian people.