RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond City Council did not respond or address those who attended Monday night's City Council meeting hoping the council would adopt a formal resolution in support of a ceasefire in Gaza amid the months-long war between Israel and Hamas.
The topic was not on the council's agenda, but those in favor of Richmond City Council calling for a ceasefire spoke during a public comment period.
"We are asking you to declare publicly that Richmond does not want our money to be used to bomb schools and kill children but rather to employ and build schools and uplift children," one speaker said.
Other speakers suggested Richmond City Council not weigh in on foreign affairs.
"I am grateful to be a part of this awesome city but the focus should be on homelessness, the youth gun violence, our schools, the murder rate facing the street, and lowering taxes," another speaker said.
Again, Richmond City Council took no action on the public comments.
Israeli forces rescued two hostages on Monday after storming a heavily guarded apartment in a densely packed town in the Gaza Strip and extracting them under fire.
Local officials said at least 67 Palestinians were killed in the operation early Monday, most of them in airstrikes.
The rescue in Rafah briefly lifted the spirits of Israelis shaken by the plight of the dozens of hostages held by Hamas.
Israel has described Rafah as the last remaining Hamas stronghold in the territory and signaled that it may soon target the town on the southern edge of Gaza.
More than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million have fled to Rafah to escape fighting elsewhere.
Israel’s offensive has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians in the territory, displaced over 80% of the population, and set off a massive humanitarian crisis.
More than 12,300 Palestinian children and young teens have been killed in the conflict, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Monday. About 8,400 women were also among those killed. That means children and young teens make up about 43% of the dead, and women and minors together make up three-quarters.
The ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, provided the breakdown at the request of the AP. Israel claims to have killed about 10,000 Hamas fighters but has not provided evidence.
In Hamas’ cross-border raid on Oct. 7, an estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and militants took 250 people captive, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel says about 100 hostages remain in Hamas captivity after dozens were freed during a cease-fire in November.
Hamas also holds the remains of roughly 30 others who were either killed on Oct. 7 or died in captivity.
President Joe Biden has welcomed Jordan's King Abdullah II to the White House for talks on how to end the months-long war in Gaza and plan for what comes afterward.
Standing alongside the king, Biden said that “the key elements of the deal are on the table,” though gaps remain.
The two leaders discussed the effort to free hostages in Gaza and the growing concern over a possible Israeli military operation in the border city of Rafah.
Monday's meeting is the first between the allies since three American troops were killed last month in a drone strike against a U.S. base in Jordan.
Biden blamed Iran-backed militias for the fatalities.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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