1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am writing to call for immediate action following the escalating situation in northern Gaza, which Israel has completely cut off and enforced a total blockade on food, water, medical supplies, and communications. Over 400,000 Palestinians are trapped with no access to resources or escape routes. This deliberate strangulation of northern Gaza has led to unrelenting airstrikes, with 118 launched in just two days last week, nearly matching the total for all of September. On 19th October, Israel bombed a residential building in Beit Lahiya, resulting in the deaths of at least 87 civilians, with many more missing. The scenes are gruesome, with bodies of children dismembered and piled in morgues, representing the full horror of Israel’s systematic assault on civilians. Reports and video evidence of Israel employing illegal double-tap strikes are widespread, where civilians and medical personnel are bombed as they attempt to aid the wounded in the aftermath of initial bombings. This tactic is illegal under international law and has been widely condemned in other conflicts, yet the silence around its use in Gaza is deafening. Video evidence has also emerged showing Israeli forces rounding up men and boys, a scene reminiscent of other genocides throughout history. Such actions recall the darkest chapters of modern human history, where forced disappearances, torture, and mass executions were used as tools of ethnic cleansing. There are confirmed reports of systematic torture and rape in Israeli detention camps, further amplifying the urgency of international intervention. Doctors Without Borders has issued a call for an immediate halt to the attacks on hospitals, warning that medical services are collapsing under the weight of Israel’s assault. The death toll is climbing not just from the bombs, but from the lack of basic medical care. This is not simply collective punishment; it is a calculated and systematic extermination of a civilian population. Israel must be sanctioned. A full arms embargo and a two-way trade embargo must be enforced until Israel ceases its illegal occupation, blockade and human rights violations in the region; this will also add pressure for a ceasefire. Recognising the State of Palestine and supporting the prosecution of war crimes is essential. I look forward to your commitment to upholding international law through these actions.