Chicago, Illinois - Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Chicago on Thursday, sparking protests and renewed demands for his arrest.

Hundreds of protesters gathered Thursday evening outside Chicago's Anshe Emet Synagogue in opposition to an appearance by Gallant.

"Palestinians and our anti-war and Jewish allies will be protesting and disrupting and demanding the arrest of Gallant and any other genocider or their sympathizers all throughout the US, the same way we've been targeting our elected officials who have financed the genocide against Palestinians," an organizer from the Chicago chapter of the US Palestinian Community Network told the crowd.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in November issued arrest warrants for Gallant and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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Since that time, both men have made trips to the US with impunity, with Netanyahu this week becoming the first foreign leader to visit Donald Trump since the latter's return to the White House.

"That means that our work isn't done. That means that we have a duty to fight for Palestinian dignity, justice, and liberation," an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement said during Thursday's protest.

"Gallant being able to prance around our city is a symbol that our work isn't done. We must keep being out in the streets and doing everything we can until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea."

After getting wind of Gallant's visit to Chicago, Palestinian Americans called on Hope Olds, chief of the US Justice Department's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, to take action.

"The Center for Constitutional Rights, along with the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq, as well as directly impacted US citizens from or with family in Gaza, writes to urge the Department of Justice Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section ('HRSP') to open a criminal investigation into and prosecute Yoav Gallant who committed or authorized genocide, war crimes, and torture against Palestinians in Gaza between October 8, 2023 and at least November 5, 2024," reads the Thursday letter, sent via email.

"We understand that Gallant is currently present in the United States, in Illinois," the letter continues. "There is overwhelming evidence that, as Defense Minister, Gallant and Israeli forces and authorities under his control committed genocide, war crimes, and torture against Palestinians in Gaza, crimes that fall within the prosecutorial mandate of the HRSP."

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Signatories included five Palestinian Americans who were plaintiffs in a historic lawsuit accusing former President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin of complicity in genocide.

A federal judge in Oakland dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds. Despite the unfavorable result, the ruling upheld that there was a likely case of genocide happening in Gaza with "unflagging support" from the Biden administration.

The new submission reflects a similar request earlier this week calling on the Justice Department to enforce Netanyahu's ICC arrest warrant during his visit to Washington.

Trump has since issued an executive order imposing sanctions on ICC officials, employees, and their families. The court on Friday condemned the sanctions and vowed to "continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world."