The Office of Equity and Social Justice stands with the Palestinian people and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. In the last 30 days, nearly 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, with thousands more injured and in need of care. These have been mostly civilians, with nearly half children. Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed one child every 10 minutes since the start of the war. These children, women, and men are not just numbers. They are people who had hope, who loved, who sang, and whose lives were cut far too short.
Residents of Gaza have fled to hospitals and schools in hopes that Israel will abide by international law and not attack these places. However, hospitals and schools are not safe from Israel’s attacks. The hospitals are running out of fuel, medical staff are being killed, and ambulances are being destroyed. Nearly half of the hospitals in the Gaza strip are not functioning. Refugee camps and UN shelters—bombed. Journalists and their families, murdered. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic. Only 374 aid trucks of food, water, and medicine have been allowed into Gaza since the war began. There are 2.2 million people trapped in Gaza with very little food, water, and resources. All people deserve to live full lives, free from war and destruction. Children should be able to play with each other freely and go to school safely. This deliberate killing must stop.
Understanding Gaza: Don’t fall into the trap of dehumanization | The Seattle Times