OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rain did not dissuade scores of protesters from gathering at the Port of Oakland by 5 a.m. Saturday, opposing the United States' continued military aid in Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza. Several hours before sunrise, hundreds of community members began pounding drums and chanting near Middle Harbor Shoreline Park and 7th Street to disrupt port operations. The demonstration, organized by the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, successfully shut down the first shift of longshoremen scheduled for work Saturday, according to Wassim Hage, an AROC spokesperson. The crowd dispersed by late morning, but Hage said protesters vowed to return to the port by 2 p.m. "to shut down any business as usual for the afternoon shift." Organizers said they believed a ship carrying military supplies was set to arrive at the port, though that claim could not be immediately verified. In November, a similar protest at the Port of Oakland targeted the Cape Orlando vessel, a ship with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, authorities said. Hage said a shuttle will be available for any protesters who arrive at the West Oakland BART station for Saturday's afternoon protest, which also coincided with a global day of action against the longest and deadliest war between Israel and Palestinians in 75 years. Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day this weekend, AROC said the action was also a way to "honor and uphold (his) radical legacy ... and his internationalist vision for human rights, racial justice, and an end to war and exploitation across the world." The move comes more than three months after Hamas' surprise attack on Oct. 7 left more than 1,200 people dead across southern Israel. Since then, the death toll from Israel's bombardment of Gaza has eclipsed 23,000 people, which is roughly 1% of the Palestinian territory's population. Experts say the Israeli bombing is among the most intense in modern history. Lara Kiswani, executive director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, said Saturday's protest aimed to disrupt business at the port, which generates around $12 million in revenue daily. "This is nearly the same amount of money that the US sends to Israel per day in economic and military aid," Kiswani said in a statement. "The Oakland port has facilitated the transport of weapons, military equipment, and technology that fuel the Israeli genocide of Palestinians. As long as the US enables this war with our tax dollars and through our port, there can be no business as usual." ©#YR@ MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.