As of 4/3, approximately 33,000 - 41,500 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel as of 10/7. A recent UN and World Bank report estimates $18.5 billion has been done in damages to Gaza's infrastructure, which they cite as unprecedented and likely an undercount due to difficulties in accessing Gaza. UNRWA has still been barred from entering northern Gaza to provide direly needed aid to save people from being starved to death. The only other organization that's had recent access was the World Central Kitchen, which has had to suspend operations due to the targeted bombing of their vehicles that killed 7 aid workers. The people in northern Gaza are starving to death in real time, right now.
Every new video and image coming out about the recent annihilation of the entirety of Al-Shifa hospital and the surrounding neighborhood is horrifying. Journalist Muhammad Qariqa found his mother's body among those executed by Israeli forces. Rafiq, a young man who is so emaciated he appears skeletal, was among the survivors and described the intentional starvation, deprivation of medical care, and torture he witnessed. He said "we suffered so much that I felt like giving up". I want you to imagine that for a moment - you're being slowly starved to death and have taken refugee at a hospital for safety and to try and get medical attention, then you're surrounded by fire, bombs, bullets - you watch your family be tortured and then you yourself are and there is no end seemingly in sight. This is depraved.
I demand that you:
- Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire
- Call for the immediate end of Israel's occupation and apartheid and support Palestinians in their fight for freedom and peace
- Hold Israel accountable for their violations of the Genocide Convention and all other international laws by any means necessary
- Secure the immediate release and safety of all Palestinians who have been abducted and held captive by Israel, including those whose indefinite detention began prior to 10/7
- Permanently end all monetary, diplomatic, and military aid given to Israel and enforce Leahy Law
- Reallocate all funds given to Israel and commit additional resources for ongoing humanitarian relief for Palestinians starting with immediately resuming funding of UNRWA
- Immediately withdraw all U.S. troops, military assets, and all other assets deployed throughout the Middle East and cease all actions that further escalate a larger regional conflict
- Pass legislation that voids all anti-BDS laws at the federal level
– Vote no on H.R. 7521 and any similar legislation proposed
First sent on April 3 by Sarah
