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Good Shepherd Collective Newsletter |
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A critical update
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Hamza Chalan, a member of the press, leads displaced children in Gaza in a chant, yelling, “Free Palestine!”
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Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
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Dear friends,
While we hope for the best, we must continue to prepare for the worst. A 4-day "temporary ceasefire" was supposed to begin in Gaza at 10 AM this morning. However, it did not start this morning, despite the predictable uptick in bombings by Israeli forces across the length of Gaza yesterday—a tactic Israel regularly engages in leading up to periods of ceasefire. Instead, late last night, Israeli authorities determined that the negotiations were unresolved. They delayed the "temporary ceasefire" and prisoner exchange for another day at least. At the time I am writing to you, things remain tentative, and it is unclear whether we will even see this temporary cessation of massive killing. In the early hours of the morning, Israeli forces arrested the director of Al Shifa Hospital for questioning, inflaming a very delicate situation.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza continue to languish under some of the most horrific bombing campaigns yet. This is a trapped population without access to fresh water, food, or even the most basic medicine: a doctor in Gaza today reported that even paracetamol, the most simple painkiller, is not available for hospital use. Though the "temporary ceasefire" agreed upon would, in theory, allow the entrance for an increased rate of fuel and aid into Gaza, humanitarian groups are already warning that it will not be enough. But more importantly, they insist that Israel cannot use humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip.
We are now almost at the end of 7 weeks of this genocide. Last night it was reported that Israeli forces have murdered a confirmed 14,532 Palestinians in Gaza. 7,000 remain under the rubble with no machinery to rescue them. 35,000 are wounded. Israel's bombing campaigns have displaced more than 1,500,000. 70% of Palestinians in Gaza are refugees from the rest of Palestine. A "temporary ceasefire" is not enough. It is a pause in an ongoing genocide that has been funded by the United States and coordinated with and cheered on by much of Europe, the US, and Canada. Regardless of what happens in the next 24 hours, we must step up our efforts to not only bring a ceasefire immediately but also end the 17-year siege on Gaza. We have to set our goals for decolonization, the right of return for Palestinians, and reparations.
This kind of pressure takes time, patience, and determination to build. We have watched in admiration as millions of people around the world have taken to the streets day after day to stand with Palestinians against Israeli genocide and settler colonialism. Many others have put their bodies, safety, and careers on the line to disrupt political events, shut down politicians' offices, block boats carrying weapons to Israel, and stop the work at arms manufacturers providing weapons to kill our community. Others have made daily calls to representatives, or written articles about Gaza, political prisoners held in Israeli prisons, as well as ongoing forced displacement in the West Bank. Groups have been fighting misinformation online, building archives to compile evidence of genocide, creating art to honor Palestinian martyrs, and encouraging everyone to keep going. We see you, and we appreciate you so deeply. We need you to keep going.
Don't get caught up thanking politicians like Elizabeth Warren, who are now offering us a whisper of humanity after voting to send an additional $14 billion in military funds to Israel. Giving thanks to a politician after they have funded the genocide of our people is a slap in the face of each Palestinian mourning their loved ones. It is not enough; it is a disgrace that it took this many deaths for them to meet the bare minimum request. Keep the pressure up. We see how powerful we are when we stand together and speak in a unified voice. Please continue calling for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the siege on Gaza as the first steps toward the larger decolonization of Palestine. A ceasefire is nothing if we allow politicians to continue peddling nonsense about "Israeli security" over Palestinians' right to self-determination and insist on the empty promises of a "2 state solution" and Oslo Accords. What does a pause in violence mean if there is no commitment to ending the more systematic, less obvious violence of forced displacement and colonization?
Finally, please don't look away over these next few days. Whether there is a ceasefire or not, Israeli forces are sure to continue ramping up violence against captive Palestinians in Gaza until the absolute last moment.
You can support our ability to continue this work by donating here. GSC operates almost entirely on individual donations in order to maintain our independence and integrity. This is how we ensure that we are able to provide reports and analysis that align with our principles and accountability to Palestinians, rather than donors’ interests. You can sign up to donate as little or as much as you feel comfortable, one time or on a monthly basis. Thank you.
Until return and liberation,
Lara
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Lara Kilani
Good Shepherd
Collective
Communications
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