'We have a spotlight on us': Chicago’s Little Palestine united after Israeli strikes test Gaza truce

Palestinian Americans express fear and doubt as Israel launches strikes on territory days after ceasefire took hold

A fragile ceasefire in Gaza is back in effect after Israel launched strikes against Hamas at the weekend, accusing militants of attacking its troops. Thousands of kilometres away in Bridgeview, Illinois – known colloquially as “Little Palestine” – residents and business owners are watching closely, torn between fear, scepticism and cautious hope over the peace plan.

The neighbourhood in suburban Chicago is home to the largest Palestinian-American community in the country. Arabic signs line the streets and Middle Eastern restaurants dot nearly every corner, many proudly displaying their support for Gaza.

Living with constant fear

Deanna Othman, a lifelong resident of the area, teaches English and journalism at a high school and serves as a board member of American Muslims for Palestine in Chicago. Her family is from the village of Beitunia, in the occupied West Bank, and her husband is from Gaza.

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Deanna Othman is a lifelong resident of Little Palestine and a board member of American Muslims for Palestine in Chicago. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

The war, she says, has left them in a state of relentless worry. Ms Othman last visited Gaza in June 2023, only months before the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and the Israeli offensive that has since killed more than 68,100 people.

“Obviously, it’s impacted the whole community but it’s been more personal because of my husband’s family being there [in Gaza],” she said. “It’s been a very difficult two years … not knowing if our family is safe, not being able to reach them, not knowing if they have food to eat, or shelter. It’s an endless list of worries and concerns.”

The uncertainty makes it impossible to trust any peace agreement, says Ms Othman, whose husband’s mother, siblings and extended family are scattered across Gaza.

Shops and restaurants in Bridgeview display Arabic signs. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

“I hesitate to think that the war is over just because Israel has continued to kill Palestinians, even after signing the peace plan,” she said. “You can never really rest assured that anyone is safe or that this is over.”

For her, any plan that excludes Palestinians from shaping the future of Gaza is bound to fall short.

“Unless Israel is completely out of Gaza, there’s no guarantee that they’re going to be able to rebuild or live safely,” she said. “Things have escalated in the West Bank, too. They haven’t got better. They’ve actually got worse.”

The past two years have been “a roller coaster of emotions … sadness, anger, depression, worry".

Amid the horror, she clings to hope, although it is often hard to sustain. “It’s difficult to see that, considering the situation we’re in and the horrifying images from Gaza – starved children, charred and dismembered bodies – it’s hard to see all of that, to process it and to have hope moving forward.”

From raising funds for donations to displaying messages, Al Bawadi Grill has been outspoken in its support for Gaza. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

Yet she also sees a responsibility for her community to act. “We really have a spotlight on us, because we are the largest Palestinian community in the United States,” she said. “We need to continue raising our voices until we see our people living in liberation.”

‘Little Palestine’ rallies

That shared sense of purpose has brought the community closer. At Al Bawadi Grill, a family-owned Palestinian restaurant that has been a local landmark for 17 years, support for Gaza is woven into everyday business. The owners recently expanded with a new Middle Eastern seafood restaurant, Al Bahaar, in Orland Park.

From donating sales to joining protests, the restaurant's founders and employees have been outspoken in their solidarity.

Hamza Ismail is manager of Palestinian-owned Al Bawadi Grill in Bridgeview. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

Hamza Ismail, the son of the owner, grew up in the restaurant of which he is now manager. “We’ve definitely seen families that have been coming here for 17 years,” Mr Ismail said. “I used to come here when I was seven, running around the restaurant. I’ve grown with so many memories here and met so many people that I’ve continued to see for almost two decades.”

He describes the neighbourhood as “a huge family” that rallied quickly when war broke out. “As soon as everything happened in Gaza, it’s been a continuous effort to make sure that people are aware and that we’re doing what we can to support Gaza.”

An employee at Al Bawadi Grill serves kunafa carrying a 'Free Palestine' message. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

But trust, Mr Ismail said, is hard to come by. “It’s hard for anyone to trust Israel or that government as of now. They’ve indiscriminately killed our people. When you look at the footage of what’s left in Gaza, it’s almost all rubble. Yes, optimism has to be there but the trust is definitely not.”

Viral Dubai chocolate decorated with Al Aqsa Mosque design served at Al Bawadi Grill. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

Scepticism runs deep

Tarek Khalil, a lawyer and education co-ordinator with American Muslims for Palestine, says the ceasefire is welcome but fragile.

“It is relief that is needed for the Palestinians in Gaza,” he said. “There’s still a blockade. There’s still a military occupation. People are still displaced and hungry. This is only the beginning.”

For Mr Khalil, Little Palestine embodies both cultural pride and solidarity. “Every little aspect of Palestine you can find here,” he said. “Palestinian food, people, mosques, life. But it’s not just Palestinians. It’s whites, Jews, Blacks, Latinos, Asians. Every marginalised community stands with justice for Palestinians, and we stand for justice for their causes as well.”

Tarek Khalil is a lawyer and the education co-ordinator for the American Muslims for Palestine. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

His distrust of political leadership is clear. “Now that [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu has the hostages back, I really don’t see an incentive for him to keep this going in a way that doesn’t cause further slaughter,” he said. “I’m not hopeful in the Arab world or this administration but I do have faith in the American people.”

He urged Americans to use their power to demand accountability. “We can’t give up hope,” he said. “We need to hold our elected officials to account. Palestine is the litmus test of our day.

"If you want to tout that you are pro-universal health care, you're pro this issue or that issue, but you are actively complicit in denying those same things to Palestinians, then you're a hypocrite and you should not be in office."

Arabic signs outside businesses are commonplace in Bridgeview. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

Holding on to hope

Amid the fear and uncertainty, there is still cautious hope. Mohanad Aburas, who opened Prince Sweets in Bridgeview in 2010 after moving from Nablus in the West Bank, said the ceasefire has brought a sense of relief.

“We are so happy, because they ended the war and the genocide over there,” he said. “The community is so happy to stop the war, to stop the killing of innocent people, the kids and women and the elders.”

Mr Aburas hopes the agreement will hold. “If the Israeli government keeps its promises, I think, yeah, we will reach to the end of the agreement."

Vivian Khalaf, a Jerusalem-born lawyer and chairwoman of the board at the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, said the community remains “cautiously optimistic".

Vivian Khalaf is a Jerusalem-born lawyer and currently serves as chairwoman of the board of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

“We are optimistic that the violence has stopped to a certain extent,” she said. “But it’s very, very tenuous. We have no choice but to hope.”

She doubts a lasting resolution is possible with Israel’s current government but says the conflict has strengthened community bonds.

“The war galvanised the Little Palestine community. It brought them together,” Ms Khalaf said. “People are so generous. Any dollar they have to spare is going to organisations such as PCRF to help support the people of Gaza. It has really brought us together more than ever.”