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5/19 Petition to Biden & U.S. Congress

Ralph Nader recently shared speculation on the number of Palestinians who have been murdered in Gaza since 10/7 by Israel that I think is worth thinking on. He asserts over 200,000 have likely been murdered. So far, over 100,000 bombs and missiles have been dropped on civilians without food, water, electricity, or other necessities of life. If one bomb only murdered 1 person, that’d be at least 100,000. While Nader’s estimate is speculative, it doesn’t sound far fetched. We’ve already known since November that Gaza’s healthcare system was so overwhelmed that the number of dead was not accurate – bodies have to be identified to be counted, and bodies have to be recovered to even begin identification. Israel’s manufactured famine is starving over 2 million people. Their intentional destruction of civilian infrastructure has led to the explosive rise of preventable diseases and deaths due to lack of healthcare, shelter, and clean water. Those murdered by these causes have been known to soon surpass those murdered directly by bombs.

The current official count of those murdered by Israel since 10/7 in Gaza stands at 35,456 people as of 5/19. Credible estimations that include those missing under the rubble put that number as high as 43,640 as of 5/13. Regardless of the numbers used, the magnitude of human suffering and death is unimaginable. With no end in sight and this administration’s failure to hold Israel accountable, the grime milestone of 200,000 will be reached soon enough. Credible projections estimate that if nothing changes, close to 500,000 Palestinians will die in Gaza largely due to entirely preventable health conditions.

The last of the food in Rafah is being distributed today. It very well could be the last meal for the thousands waiting in queue. Over the past two weeks, Israel has prevented over 3,000 humanitarian aid trucks from entering Gaza. The humanitarian apocalypse in Gaza is entirely man-made and is one of the tools of Israel’s genocide.

I’ve known for a very long time now that it’s unlikely you read my letters or care what I and millions of other Americans have to say in our demands to stop Israel’s genocide. Even so, I won’t stop writing you. There may be few things I can do, but I know that by doing everything possible, my conscience is clean. I wish I could say the same for yours.

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

SOURCES

Ralph Nader X Post @RalphNader 5/10/24 speculating over 200,000 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel since 10/7

The Guardian “It’s not just bullets and bombs. I have never seen health organisations as worried as they are about disease in Gaza“

Al Jazeera 5/19 Live Updates

Estimated deaths as of 5/13 – 5/19 from multiple sources*

Al Jazeera quotes 35,456 dead as of 5/19/24. 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“