Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson backed calls for a cease-fire in the war in Gaza Wednesday ahead of a hotly contested vote on a City Council cease-fire resolution set for next week.

       Asked if he supports the resolution from Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, 33rd, Johnson said he condemned the actions of Hamas when fighting began.

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       “But at this point now, I believe we’re looking at 25,000 Palestinians that have been killed,” he said. “The killing has to stop. So, yes, we need a cease-fire.”

       Johnson, now apparently the mayor from the biggest American city to back a cease-fire, had previously not taken a public position on the resolution. Johnson ordered City Council chambers cleared of spectators in October because of noisy protests when aldermen passed another symbolic resolution showing support for Israel following Hamas’Oct. 7 attack.