Local elected officials have joined national and international leaders condemning the violence in Israel and Gaza that erupted over the weekend. State legislators condemned the violence affecting Palestinians and Israelis. Reps. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) and LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago), and State Sen. Mike Porfirio (D-LaGrange), are among 16 Democratic Illinois state legislators who have signed a letter deploring the violence in Israel and Gaza. “Hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed, and thousands injured,” the three-paragraph letter states. “All loss of human life is tragic. This latest violence shows the urgent need for lasting peace.”The lawmakers expressed their support for people in Illinois, many of whom are their constituents, “who are watching this situation unfold and experiencing deep pain as they worry for loved ones.”“We will not be able to achieve peace when millions of Palestinians are denied human rights,” they added.