Bush, a Democrat, made this known when she joined her colleague Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, for a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington on Wednesday.
The rally was organized by two Jewish organizations — Jewish Voice for Peace and 'IfNotNow.'
"This Monday, we introduced a cease-fire resolution that calls on the Biden administration to demand an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Israel occupied-Palestine," she told the gathering of protesters, a few feet from the U.S. Capitol.
"Less than a week ago, only a handful of members of Congress dared to utter the word cease-fire. On Monday, 11 more members joined us to introduce the 'cease-fire now' resolution," Bush said.
The Congresswoman, who was wheeled onto the podium to address the protesters, demanded that "the world and our government don't turn a blind eye to the collective punishment against Palestinians that we are witnessing."
"As I stand up here not only in pain in my body, but in pain in my heart, in pain in my soul, but also my brain cannot comprehend what is happening right now," she said.
"The fact that we have to continue to come together to ask for peace and justice, and self-determination and love and humanity for actual human beings in 2023, I can’t understand."
U.S. Congresswoman Cori Bush (D, MO) addresses pro-Palestinian protesters at a rally in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday Oct. 18, 2023.
Bush "strongly condemned" Hamas for the "appalling" attack on Israel adding that "I cannot okay any loss of any life simply because the Lord looked down and saved mine."
U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D. MI) addresses pro-Palestinian protesters at a rally organized by two Jewish organizations in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday Oct. 18, 2023.
A Congresswoman from the Midwestern state of Michigan — the only Palestinian-American in Congress, Rashinda Tlaib -- urged President Joe Biden to protect Palestinian lives as protesters chanted "cease-fire now."
"I want him (Joe Biden) to know (that) as a Palestinian- American, and also somebody of Muslim faith, I'm not going to forget this. I think the White House and everyone thinks that we're just going to sit back and let this just continue to happen. No," she said.
An emotional Tlaib, a Democrat, recounted disturbing images of devastation and deaths in the aftermath of the attack on the Ahli Arab hospital in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday that Gaza health officials said left at least 300 people dead.
"What's so hard sometimes is watching those videos, and the people telling the kids, don't cry. I’m like, let them cry, and they’re shaking, you know, and they keep telling them not to cry in Arabic. They can cry. I can cry. We all can crying. If we are not crying, then something is wrong," Tlaib said.
"And so, I am telling you right now — President (Joe) Biden -- not all Americans are with you on this one. And you need to wake up and understand that. They are trying to politicize this one goal: save lives."
The Israeli Defense Forces blamed the militant Palestinian group the Islamic Jihad for the hospital attack, and U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the explosion seemed to have been caused by a rocket misfired by the Palestinian militant group. The militant group denied responsibility and blamed Israel.
Over a million Palestinians in Gaza are internally displaced, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said Thursday, following an Israeli warning to all residents of the north of the Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes and move south.
The conflict began on Oct. 7 after Hamas militants stormed into Israel. Israel has vowed to destroy the Palestinian militant group.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said that 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and over 12,500 others have been wounded.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed. An Israeli military spokesperson said that the families of 206 people believed to have been captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza had been notified.
Israel has massed tens of thousands of troops along the border. Its defense minister told ground troops to be ready to enter the Gaza Strip, though he did not say when the invasion will begin.
Some information in this story came from The Associated Press.