Dear Mayor Sohi,

I am writing to you as a concerned resident of Edmonton. As the civilian death toll rises to more than 11,000 Palestinians, over 4,000 of whom have been children, we need Edmonton to be a voice for peace and justice.

Far too many families in Edmonton have lost loved ones in Gaza. There are far too many Canadians with roots in Edmonton who are still stuck in Gaza.

The Israeli government appears to be committed to an unrelenting siege and unlawful blockade of the Gaza strip. There is no end in sight. Their threats of violence are only escalating.

The Edmonton community needs you to speak up. Week after week, thousands have poured onto the streets of Edmonton demanding a ceasefire. I want our city to be on the right side of history.

Cities like Burnaby, Toronto, and Saskatoon have already called or a ceasefire. The city of Edmonton must call for a ceasefire. The bloodshed must end.