Dozens of protesters rallied outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC, on Wednesday, to show support for the Israeli government’s military actions in Gaza strip.

Protesters could be seen holding Israeli flags and placards reading “Israel, we stand with you.’ The protest was called by the organisation Alliance for Israel.

In her speech Mellissa Hare Landa, Director of Alliance For Israel said, “We must hold our heads high and defend Israel, defend ourselves, challenging the lies and defending the truth,” adding, “the truth is while Israel does everything it can to avoid civilian deaths in Gaza, it must defend itself.”

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians began to spiral over the planned eviction of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, as well as repeated clashes between worshippers and Israeli police at the al-Aqsa compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, during Ramadan​.

Subsequent hostilities including rockets fired from Gaza, has left 12 civilians dead in Israel, including two children, while a campaign of Israeli airstrikes and bombardments has killed over 200 people, including at least 60 children.