San Francisco police arrest several pro-Palestinian protesters

Police in San Francisco arrested pro-Palestinian demonstrators who occupied the lobby of a building that houses the Israeli Consulate on Monday.

It was not immediately clear how many arrests were made but an Associated Press journalist saw police arresting at least a dozen people.

A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators entered the building and occupied it for several hours on Monday. The protesters posted signs on the front doors of the building calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest Marco Sermoneta said the protesters arrived around 9am at the Financial District’s high-rise but didn’t enter the consulate’s offices. He said his office was telling people that they might need to change their appointments.

San Francisco police officers were standing guard outside the building and told an AP journalist that it was not open to the public.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, protesters said they planned to stay until they were "forcibly” removed. By 11:45am, about six San Francisco police vehicles could be seen parked around the corner from the consulate, along with about six other officers and a San Francisco Fire Department ambulance waiting.

Photos and videos of the demonstrators posted on social media showed people sitting in a circle and chanting "Free, free Palestine!”

Meanwhile, Israel's military confirmed the deaths of four more hostages held by Hamas – including three men in their 80s who were seen in a Hamas video begging for their release. Around 80 hostages captured on Oct. 7 are believed to still be alive in Gaza, alongside the remains of 43 others.

Pro-Palestinian protesters occupy the building lobby of the Israeli consulate in downtown San Francisco. Reuters

Monday's announcement came days after US President Joe Biden announced that Israel has offered Hamas a deal to release all the hostages in Gaza and potentially end the war. Biden says the group is sufficiently depleted, however Israeli leaders say destroying Hamas will require more military operations in Gaza, raising doubts about the ceasefire efforts.

Meanwhile, the Group of Seven industrialised nations has fully endorsed a ceasefire proposal announced by the United States to try to end Israel’s war in Gaza, and has called on Hamas to accept it.

In a statement released by the Italian presidency Monday, the G7 urged countries with influence over Hamas to ensure that it accepts the deal.

US President Joe Biden detailed the three-phase deal on Friday, which calls for a full and complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

In the statement, the G7 said its leaders "fully endorse and will stand behind the comprehensive deal” that Biden outlined. They reaffirmed support for a credible pathway to peace and a two-state solution.

"We call on Hamas to accept this deal, that Israel is ready to move forward with, and we urge countries with influence over Hamas to help ensure that it does so,” the statement said.

Associated Press