From Al Jazeera on June 25: Up to 21,000 children are estimated to be lost, disappeared, detained, buried under the rubble or in mass graves in Gaza since Israel launched its war on the besieged enclave, according to the British aid group Save the Children. Jeremy Stoner, the group's regional director for the Middle East, is calling for an independent investigation and accountability. "Families are tortured by the uncertainty of the whereabouts of their loved ones. No parent should have to dig through rubble or mass graves to try and find their child's body. No child should be alone, unprotected in a war zone. No child should be detained or held hostage," he said.
President Biden continues to supply and fund Israel while knowing since October 2023 that Israel has been targeting civilians. On May 14, he approved another one billion dollars to fund weapons for Israel. This is continued participation in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians and a violation of Leahy Law, which prohibits our government from funding foreign forces who are implicated in gross human rights violations.
International scholar and lawyer, Francesca Albanese, has documented how Israel’s gross human rights violations and war crimes are genocidal acts, including their targeting of hospitals and healthcare workers, targeting journalists and civilians, using starvation as a weapon, etc. Israeli government officials have repeatedly expressed genocidal intent. The Gaza Strip's ability to produce food and clean water has been severely destroyed by Israeli airstrikes and bulldozers which have razed farms and orchards. People have unearthed mass graves with evidence of torture. Israel is ignoring the I.C.J. ruling on May 24 to halt the offensive on Rafah. The U.S. continues to ignore the U.N. resolution on March 25 for a ceasefire. As people of conscience, we will not ignore this.
I am demanding you to take immediate steps to stop Israel’s genocide of Palestinians by calling for 1) a total and permanent bilateral ceasefire (which is what a ceasefire is), 2) humanitarian aid allowed to enter Gaza, 3) an end to Israel's siege on Gaza, 4) the release of all Palestinian and Israeli hostages, 5) no more weapons or funding to the Israeli military, 6) the reinstatement of U.N.R.W.A funding. A permanent ceasefire is an absolutely critical step to ensuring everlasting liberation and peace.
The I.C.J. ruled that Israel should do everything in its power to prevent genocide. Never again means never again for anyone. Palestinians deserve to live with freedom and safety which means first stopping this genocide and then ensuring liberation from occupation and apartheid. The liberation and safety of Palestinians, Israelis, Jewish people, and Muslim people are intertwined. There can only be true safety when we are all free from oppression.
First sent on June 25 by Alice
