In last night's Senate debate, neither candidate endorsed a permanent cease fire in Gaza, with both calling for the immediate release of hostages being held by Hamas.

On Friday, President Biden said he has pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a temporary cease fire to get the hostages out of Gaza and that he's urged Israel not to proceed with a ground offensive in Rafah without a clear plan to protect more than a million Palestinians who are sheltering there.

But today, Israel said it will move ahead with military operations in Rafah if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by the start of Ramadan early next month.

According to the health ministry.

The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 29,000.

Here in New Jersey, Palestinian residents in Paterson gathered to call on President Biden to support a permanent cease fire as they mourn the loss of loved ones killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Senior correspondent Joanna Gagis reports.

The death toll is 29,000, 18,000 since November 16 when we called for the cease fire.

Mayor Andre Sayegh today renewed Paterson's calls for a cease fire in Gaza, pointing to the 18,000 men, women and children who've been killed in the region in just the last three months since the city first called on the Biden administration to take action.

And that's why on Presidents Day, we are speaking directly to the president of the United States.

And we're making a universal humanity, an appeal to our president.

And we're calling for a permanent cease fire, for a permanent peace and a permanent resolution in the region.

Paterson has one of the largest Palestinian-American populations in the U.S., according to Sayegh and several spoke today about the devastating deaths of their loved ones in Gaza.

It's been 137 days of ongoing genocide against the people of Gaza, funded, paid for and supported by our government.

This is not something far off.

2000 at least 2000 members of our families have been killed.

Nine team members of my family have been killed.

I wish we didn't have to get that phone call saying I'm sorry.

Uncle Mohamed is dead and four generations are dead with him.

My one year old cousin, who didn't even live to see her first birthday.

Is dead.

15 members of my cousin's and my uncle and his wife and his grandchildren who had been killed in the first week.

It is a time when humanity to come together to stop this war.

Today, not tomorrow.

Today not only cease fire for one month or two months.

We want there to be a ceasefire.

Their message comes as the International Court of Justice began hearing arguments today on the need for a two state solution in the region, an argument raised before this war began.

Here in Paterson, a diverse group of faith leaders, Muslim, Jewish and Christian, joined in that call to the president.

We are outraged that President Biden is apparently planning to again veto a U.N. Security Council resolution for a ceasefire, even as Netanyahu threatens more attacks on Rafah.

This conflict has seen over 29,000 deaths and about two thirds of that number are women and children.

Reports have stated that up to 80% of Palestinians have been driven out of their homes and have been left to starve.

According to Oxfam International, about 250 Palestinians are killed per day.

The probe also called multiple times for a cease fire, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Joe Biden's administration is set to send what is said to be enough munitions to be able to continue the slaughter in Gaza for another 19 weeks.

Mayor Sayegh is urging New Jersey local and state officials to join in his call.

Although the number stands at just four municipalities that have called for a cease fire.

Newark and Jersey City have not yet added their voices to this movement, despite calls from their community members to do so.

70 cities have called for a ceasefire.

Nine of them are in Michigan, but there are 564 municipalities in New Jersey alone.

So we want other mayors to call or sign on for this call for a permanent ceasefire.

He says there could be devastating political impacts on those who don't.

In Paterson, I'm Joanna Gagis NJ Spotlight News.