Protesters calling for cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war block freeway in Seattle for several hours

SEATTLE (AP) — Protesters calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war blocked northbound traffic on Interstate 5 in Seattle for several hours Saturday. The Seattle Times reports that additional demonstrators on a nearby overpass cheered in support of the blockade, which began around 1:15 p.m. The state transportation department on X says traffic at one point was backed up more than 6 miles, and the agency asked drivers to use alternate routes. On Saturday, the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said 122 Palestinians had been killed over the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the start of the war to 22,722. The count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.