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3/14 Petition to Biden & U.S. Congress

As of 3/14, approximately 31,300 – 39,200 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel since 10/7. These numbers do not reflect those who have been murdered by starvation, disease, or the failed air drops of aid that crushed people. Those numbers don’t yet reflect the 6 murdered and 83 wounded who were waiting for humanitarian aid to arrive at the Kuwait Roundabout earlier today, 3/14. We’ve been seeing repeats over and over of the horrific Flour Massacre, like on 3/12 when over 400 were murdered and 1,300 wounded waiting for humanitarian aid, also near the Kuwait roundabout in northern Gaza. Then, today, 3/14, the air strike on a humanitarian aid warehouse in the Nuseirat refugee camp that has murdered at least 8 people.

It’s hard to point to one recent Israeli attack on the people they are starving to death as the most horrifying, but if I had to choose it’d be what they did on 3/13. After Egyptian and Belgian air planes dropped humanitarian aid, shortly after, Israel dropped a bomb on the people gathered to receive it. Israel is using these aid drops to draw people out to murder them. This is unconscionable.

I demand that you: 

– Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire

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

– Hold Israel accountable for their violations of the Genocide Convention and all other international laws by any means necessary

– 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

– Restore my right to free speech and the freedom of the press by condemning all discrimination or harassment for criticizing any government or political ideology (including zionism) and by doing everything possible to prevent future assaults to my rights, including governmental control and/or censorship of the Internet

SOURCES

The Guardian “Five killed and 10 injured in Gaza aid airdrop when parachute fails to open“

Al Jazeera “‘Death trap’: Israeli forces kill six in new attack on Gaza aid seekers“

AA “Several killed, dozens injured as Israeli forces shell Palestinians waiting for aid in northern Gaza“

Estimated deaths as of 3/5 – 3/14 from multiple sources*

Al Jazeera quotes 31,341 dead as of 3/14/24. 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 39,178 dead shown on an infographic posted on their Instagram (link to post) as of 3/5/24. 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“

!! CONTENT WARNING !!

Telegram* sources may contain graphic content, viewer discretion is advised.

*Why are you citing reports shared on Telegram?

While Telegram channels on their own are not necessarily credible news reporting, I have found the work Praxis Redacted has done consolidating both official news sources and unofficial citizen reporting (before it becomes breaking news) to be credible, accurate, and substantiated hours or sometimes days later by mainstream news.

Since mid-October when I began following the news about the genocide (and Praxis Redacted), I have not found an incident where sources cited or descriptions used were later proved to be false. I have every reason to believe the events cited below are true.

Most Telegram posts I link will be from Praxis Redacted, but those that are not will be labeled. All of the same disclaimers apply for content warnings and my belief in the credibility of the channels cited. This is a saved text template used across posts, it’s possible no sources outside of Praxis Redacted will be used or that only other channels are cited in this petition. It is also possible that other social media posts will be cited from other platforms, and if so, they will be noted.

Al-Quds News on Telegram “Aid drops followed by bombs on 3/13/24“