1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

From Al Jazeera on July 8: The accumulative effects of Israel’s attacks on Gaza could mean the true death toll could reach more than 186,000 people, according to a recent study published in the journal Lancet. The study pointed out that the death toll is higher because the official toll does not take into account thousands of dead buried under rubble and indirect deaths due to destruction of health facilities, food distribution systems and other public infrastructure. Such a number would represent almost 8 percent of Gaza’s pre-war population of 2.3 million. The Lancet study noted that Israeli intelligence services, the UN and the World Health Organization all agree that claims of data fabrication levelled against the Palestinian authorities in Gaza over its death toll are “implausible.” President Biden continues to supply and fund Israel while knowing since October 2023 that Israel has been targeting civilians. This is continued participation in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians and a violation of Leahy Law, which prohibits our government from funding foreign forces who are implicated in gross human rights violations. International scholar and lawyer, Francesca Albanese, has documented how Israel’s gross human rights violations and war crimes are genocidal acts, including their targeting of hospitals and healthcare workers, targeting journalists and civilians, using starvation as a weapon, etc. Israeli government officials have repeatedly expressed genocidal intent. Sites of learning, culture, and historical memory — universities, mosques, churches, museums — have been decimated. The U.S. continues to ignore the U.N. resolution on March 25 for a ceasefire. As people of conscience, we will not ignore this. I am demanding you to take immediate steps to stop Israel’s genocide of Palestinians by calling for 1) a total and permanent bilateral 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 U.N.R.W.A funding. A permanent ceasefire is an absolutely critical step to ensuring everlasting liberation and peace. The I.C.J. ruled that Israel should do everything in its power to prevent genocide. 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.