CHICAGO (CBS) — More than 48 Chicago City Hall staffers as of Tuesday had signed a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson and City Council urging their support for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War.
The anonymous group called “Chicago Progressive Staffers” said they have come together to join their federal counterparts who also call for a ceasefire.
The group also urges the Mayor and City Council to support “the immediate release of Israeli hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians,” the restoration of basic services such as water, food, and “the passage of adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
This comes the same day Israel’s war cabinet approved a proposed hostage deal. A source tells CBS News that for every hostage released by Hamas, three Palestinian imprisoned women and children would be released. Limited pauses in fighting for four days and aid trucks into Gaza would also be part of the deal, according to sources.
The swap, brokered by the United States and Qatar, would be overseen by the Red Crescent — part of the International Committee of the Red Cross through an operation center in Doha.
Israel’s Prime Minister said that this is not an end to their siege, and will continue until Israel achieves “all war aims,” including “to eliminate Hamas, and ensure that there is no element in Gaza that threatens Israel.”
The Chicago Progressive Staffers write that they present the letter with “utmost urgency” not only because of the exponential escalation in Gaza, but also because Chicago is hosting the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
“We see the need for our elected leaders to call for a ceasefire as directly tied to showing that our city is united in support of human rights,” the group wrote. “If we are planning to spend public dollars to support the convention, we cannot invest in programs that do not support calls for peace.”
Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) has signed on as a co-sponsor of the letter. The ceasefire resolution was first introduced by Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd), who has gotten criticism from her colleagues, but also support from others, about her stance on the war.
The full letter calling for the ceasefire can be read here. The group says it has taken all steps to preserve the anonymity of the signers.
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