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5/17 Petition to Biden & U.S. Congress

Another modern day trail of tears unfolds, again and again in occupied-Palestine. As of 5/17, over 630,000 people have fled Rafah to try and avoid being murdered by Israel’s genocidal onslaught. All Palestinians are being starved to death. There is no fuel, supplies, food, water, medical care – many have to leave on foot. And to where? Several confusing orders were given, but the most clear was the Al-Mawasi area where Israel lied saying there was an “expanded humanitarian area”. This wasn’t true on 5/6 when Israel said it and it’s not true now. Many have headed to Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and other areas near Khan Younis. Unicef spokesman James Elder advised, “There’s nowhere to go. Khan Younis, let’s be clear, is rubble…It’s not a little bit destroyed, it’s utterly devastated.” Elder went on to advise that, “Deir al-Balah… has now got raw sewage running through the streets…al-Mawasi is a beach…we’re starting to hit summer…We’ve already had reports of children dying of dehydration. So when we’re told that people should move to humanitarian zones, that’s a terrifying irony when humanitarians aren’t working in these zones…[but] of course, families will move. They will move because they will move or be bombed.”

As of 5/17, approximately 35,300 – 43,600 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel since 10/7. Unfortunately, these numbers are only the best current estimate. The lower number that’s been verified is likely an undercount. Gaza’s healthcare system has been decimated and they’ve been unable to uncover, identify, and count all the dead. The higher number comes from EuroMed Human Rights Monitor, who includes those who have been reported missing and presumed dead under the rubble. These estimates don’t truly capture the scale of death and suffering. It’s unconscionable every second that you allow this to continue.

I demand that you: 

– Hold Israel accountable for a permanent, immediate ceasefire, their violations of the Genocide Convention, and gross human rights violations by any means necessary

– Call for the immediate end of Israel’s occupation and apartheid and support Palestinians in their fight for freedom and peace

– Secure the immediate release and safety of all Palestinians who have been abducted and held captive by Israel, including those whose indefinite detention began prior to 10/7

– Permanently end all monetary, diplomatic, and military aid given to Israel and enforce Leahy Law

– Reallocate all funds given to Israel and commit additional resources for ongoing humanitarian relief for Palestinians starting with immediately resuming funding of UNRWA

– Immediately withdraw all U.S. troops, military assets, and all other assets deployed throughout the Middle East and cease all actions that further escalate a larger regional conflict

– Pass legislation that voids all anti-BDS laws at the federal level

– Vote no on H.R. 7521 and any similar legislation proposed

SOURCES

Al Jazeera 5/17 Live Updates

BBC “Gaza war: Where has Israel told Rafah displaced to go?“

Estimated deaths as of 5/13 – 5/17 from multiple sources*

Al Jazeera quotes 35,303 dead as of 5/17/24. Al Jazeera always includes the most up-to-date official death tolls on their Breaking/live updates page. Because the daily live pages are refreshed so frequently for each new day, I can’t link you to a specific date. You can always check the Breaking/live section on their site for the most recent official numbers.

EuroMed Monitor quotes an estimated 43,640 dead shown on an infographic posted on their Instagram (link to post) as of 5/13/24. Their website has past infographics, but does not currently have this newest one included as of writing this blog post. This is not unusual- I believe they first post on social media and then add to the infographic section of their site later. Prior infographics posted on Instagram and then shown on their site have the exact same figures & data.

*Why are multiple sources used for the death count?

Associated Press “Gaza health officials say they lost the ability to count dead as Israeli offensive intensifies“

The situation in Gaza has only gotten worse since the AP published this article on 11/21. The official numbers we are seeing from Gaza’s Ministry of Health are undercounted, and have been since at least 11/21.

EuroMed Monitor is a NGO established in 2011 that advocates for the human rights of all persons across Europe and the MENA region. They have a regional office in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. I believe their estimates are credible which is why I quote them, and will continue to, when referring to the estimated death toll.

My personal opinion is that the true number is even higher than estimated- people are dying from starvation, thirst, infections, and illnesses. Even if the genocide ended this moment, these types of deaths will unfortunately continue for some time. I believe their deaths should be counted. They may not have been shot/bombed/etc. by the Israeli military, but their deaths are directly attributable to the total siege, occupation, and intentional** destruction of civilian, water, waste management, and medical infrastructure by Israel.

**Why are you accusing Israel of intentionally destroying important infrastructure and targeting civilians?

It’s not an accusation. They’ve admitted to it.

The Guardian “‘The Gospel’: how Israel uses AI to select bombing targets in Gaza“

972 Magazine “‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza“

For more on confusing “evacuation orders” and lack of resources, see sources on prior petition “ENTIRE GAZA STRIP BEING CARPET BOMBED – STOP THE GENOCIDE NOW” and “ISRAEL EVACUATION ORDERS FOR RAFAH INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING – SAVE RAFAH NOW“