From Al Jazeera on March 14: “Israeli forces again open fire on Palestinians waiting for food aid in Gaza City, killing six and wounding at least 83 others, according to media reports. The attack came hours after Israel bombed a UN food distribution centre in southern Rafah city, killing at least five people, including an UNRWA staff member.”
Israel has killed over 31,000 Palestinians and wounded over 73,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023. U.S. made weapons are killing entire families in Gaza. Our tax dollars are directly funding this genocide. Israel continues to use starvation as a weapon and now there are reports of children dying from malnutrition. The siege has created widespread illness and disease, including more than 300,000 acute respiratory infections and more than 200,000 cases of acute diarrhea. Israel has destroyed Palestine’s infrastructure in Gaza - only 12 hospitals are partially functioning now and all wastewater systems are nonfunctional. Israel has prevented Palestinians’ access to aid and actively killed civilians.
President Biden announced that the U.S. will build a temporary pier to provide aid to Palestinians, yet the U.S. will continue to supply and fund Israel. This is continued participation in this genocide and a violation of Leahy law, which prohibits our government from funding foreign forces who are implicated in gross human rights violations. Global human rights organizations have repeatedly reported on Israel’s gross human rights violations and war crimes, including targeting hospitals and healthcare workers, targeting civilians, using starvation as a weapon, etc. As people of conscience, we will not ignore this.
I support a ceasefire, along with 77 Congressmembers (as of March 8). The majority of Americans - including 77% of Democrats and 56% of Republicans - support a permanent ceasefire (Data for Progress, February 2024 report). We are paying attention to representatives who publicly call for a permanent ceasefire, which will shape the 2024 elections. I want you to cosponsor HR 786 by Rep Bush.
I am demanding you to take immediate steps to deescalate violence in Gaza and Israel by calling for 1) a total and permanent ceasefire, 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 UNRWA funding. A permanent ceasefire is an absolutely critical step to ensuring everlasting liberation and peace.
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 March 14 by Alice
