1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m horrified that Israel has launched a major military offensive in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, where 1.4 million hungry, sick, and traumatized Palestinian civilians are sheltering. The IDF has also seized control of a key border crossing and cut off most aid into the territory. They have also called on 100,000 people in eastern Rafah to evacuate. This is not OK. The UN Secretary General’s office has warned that a full-scale assault on Rafah would be a human catastrophe with countless more civilian casualties. Untold numbers of families would be forced to flee with nowhere safe to go. It’s horrific. Israel’s onslaught on Gaza has already killed almost 35,000 people – mostly civilians – and displaced about 80% of the 2.3 million population. Northern Gaza is experiencing “full-blown famine”, according to the UN World Food Program. It’s a full-on emergency even without a Rafah invasion. I am glad that the Biden administration paused a US shipment of bombs to Israel amid fears they would be dropped on Rafah. Good. We must not send them another iota of ammunition until they come to the negotiating table and agree to a ceasefire. Enough is enough. Free the hostages. End the carnage. End this war. Ceasefire now—and not a single more offensive weapon to Israel until that happens. Thanks.