BUFFALO, N.Y. – Representatives of Jewish Voice for Peace and the Muslim Public Affairs Council of Western New York came together to call for a cease-fire in Gaza.

“I am just feeling complete desperation and I don’t understand how we’re in this country allowing this to keep going,” said Marion Werner, a founding member of Jewish Voice for Peace.

Beside her was Husam Ghanim, an activist and member of the Muslim Public Affairs Council of WNY. Both emphasized the urgency of a cease-fire as nearly 19,000 people have died in Gaza and 1,200 in Israel, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip.

“We have to stop the bleeding first and then figure out the reasons,” said Ghanim. “I think we need to be thinking as humans.” 

“The moment the U.S. government says, ‘this needs to stop now’ — it stops now. Why? Because ultimately the funding and the arms come from here,” said Werner.

They urged people to educate themselves on the situation and channel their humanity to join the call for a cease-fire, dispelling beliefs that this war is about religion.

“I actually think that this idea that this is about religions is missing the point,” said Werner. “This is about the ability of everybody who lives between the Jordan River and the sea to live as full, equal citizens of that place.”

“This is a tragedy happening in front of our eyes in real time on live TV most of the time,” said Ghanim. “So if not now, when?” 

However, the U.S. and Israel have discussed a timetable for scaling back intense combat operations in the war against Hamas, even though they agree the overall fight will take months, an envoy said Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.