MOORHEAD, Minn. — Cheers broke out — and were quickly stifled by Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson — as the Moorhead City Council approved a ceasfire resolution in the war between Israel and Hamas.

A packed auditorium of community members held their breath Monday as council members cast a tied vote on the resolution, with four council members voting in support, two in opposition and two abstaining. Carlson cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the resolution.

“I will be voting for this resolution because that is where my heart lies. This is not speaking on behalf of the citizens, because there were a number of citizens, specifically, a number of them came forward and said that they do not agree with this,” Carlson said. “So we’re speaking as individuals who happen to be holding positions of power within the city.”

Council members Laura Caroon, Heather Nesemeier, Deb White and Larry Seljevold voted in favor of the resolution. Members Matthew Gilbertson and Sebastian McDougall voted against it. Members Ryan Nelson and Chuck Hendrickson abstained from voting, both saying that Moorhead City Council should not weigh in on international conflicts.

Several other local governments in Minnesota, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Hastings and Columbia Heights, have also approved ceasefire resolutions recently.

War in Gaza broke out on Oct. 7 last year when Hamas — which governs Palestinians in the Gaza Strip — killed 1,200 Israeli civilians and captured another 250. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., Canada and the European Union.

Since then, over 30,000 people have been killed in the conflict, The Hill reported. A majority of the dead were Palestinian women and children. Over 71,000 Palestinians have been injured in the fighting, and over 7,000 people are currently reported missing, the BBC reported.

Israel intends to continue the war until Hamas is eliminated, Israeli Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat said, according to Reuters.

The vote came after 45 minutes of comments about the ceasefire resolution from Moorhead residents and another 30 minutes of debate among City Council members.

Community members on both sides of the issue came to and spoke at the meeting, but those supporting the cease-fire resolution far outnumbered those against it. Many in support of the resolution brought signs and banners calling for a cease-fire. People who could not find a chair to sit stood in the back of the auditorium, filling the room to the back wall.

Amanda and Sajid Ghauri spoke together in support of the cease-fire resolution. Amanda Ghauri began speaking, and Sajid Ghauri took over for her when she became too emotional to continue. The couple asked the council not to choose a side in the conflict.

“It is not your job to be political or to choose a side,” Amanda Ghauri said. “I ask you to choose peace. I ask you to use your voice to help those in need, especially given the extreme, dire situation where children are starving now.”

Moorhead residents also spoke against the ceasefire resolution. Joan Muehler said the City Council should not be telling another nation how to act in a war.

“Maybe it’s because I’m an American — I don’t want interference from Canada, France, Italy, Germany,” she said. “We are out of line telling how Israel should be defending itself.”

Residents of Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead have been petitioning their elected officials during public comment periods at meetings for weeks asking for a ceasefire resolution.

The Moorhead resolution came from the Moorhead Human Rights Commission, which unanimously voted in favor of the cease-fire resolution on Feb. 29.

A little over an hour after the Moorhead Human Rights Commission meeting ended on Feb. 29, the city of Fargo released a mayoral proclamation signed by both Carlson and Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney.

The Fargo Human Rights Commission also gave its support to a ceasefire resolution, passing it unanimously on Feb. 15. The Fargo City Commission has yet to discuss a cease-fire resolution.

According to the resolution passed by Moorhead City Council, Moorhead joins at least 48 other U.S. cities in calling for a ceasefire resolution in the Israel-Hamas war.

A copy of Moorhead’s resolution will be provided to the Minnesota Legislature, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesota’s elected officials in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and the office of President Joe Biden.

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Text of the Gaza ceasefire resolution passed by the St. Paul City Council