At Least 101 People, Including 80 Children, Have Died from Hunger in Gaza, Most in the Last Few Weeks
According to this article from Aljazeera, at least 101 people, including 80 children, have died from hunger and malnutrition since Israel launched its assault on Gaza in October 2023. Most of the deaths have come in the last few weeks. The article says, “The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that the 15 starvation-related deaths over the past 24 hours included four children and that the overall toll of 101 included 80 children. […] The starvation crisis comes amid a nearly five-month blockade by Israel on food, fuel, water and other humanitarian supplies entering Gaza.”
According to the UN, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking food aid. “As of July 21, we have recorded 1,054 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food; 766 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites and 288 near UN and other humanitarian organisations’ aid convoys,” UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told the AFP news agency on July 22, stating the victims had been “killed by the Israeli military.”
You may have been following along with our updates on the work of Ashraf Abu Hamda, a 20-year-old aspiring nursing student who has been using money fundraised by CPAC to provide water trucks to the community in Gaza. So far, Ashraf has distributed over 31,500 liters of water to more than 1,000 families. Ashraf’s work on the ground in Gaza is extremely important, and it requires a lot of physical labor. Ashraf is currently starving, and due to dizziness and the inability to stand, he has recently not been able to distribute water. He hopes to get back to that important work soon, but he needs to be able to feed himself and his family first. We are urgently asking for donations to Ashraf’s fundraiser to help him get food and to continue to support his work distributing clean water to families in Gaza.
You can donate to help Ashraf here.
Empty Plates to Empty Cannons Initiative
In response to the starvation in Gaza, CPAC has launched an initiative called “Empty Plates to Empty Cannons.” The purpose of this project in solidarity with the Fast for Gaza is to raise awareness of the intentional starvation of people in Gaza, to help raise money for Ashraf’s campaign, and to encourage people to call their representatives and demand aid be let into Gaza. You can commit to a day of the campaign here: Sign up for empty plates to empty cannons
By joining this campaign you agree to:
- Fast for one day in a way that is possible for you (e.g., sun up to sun down, food only, etc.). See Fast for Gaza for more info.
- Create a video sharing your experience, encouraging others in your networks to donate and to call their representatives (please tag @cleveland.palestine on Instagram when you do).
- Call your elected representatives and demand they pressure Isreal to allow aid into Gaza immediately.
- Donate to Ashraf’s campaign.
- Share the link to this document: Sign up for empty plates to empty cannons and ask at least one person in your network to tag in.
If you need help finding your reps, you can put your address into the 5 Calls link above, or into this link from Common Cause, which will show you all of your elected representatives.
Join Us and Make Noise for Gaza!
On Saturday, August 16, at 12:00pm, join us in Crocker Park as we make noise for Gaza. Bring pots and pans to bang!
Letter Writing Campaign
Join us after the protest, on Sunday, August 17, to write letters to our representatives about Gaza. The session will take place in the afternoon. The exact time and location will be announced in an email closer to the event.
On August 20 from 7:00-9:00pm, join us for phone banking in person at Moyra’s Studio (15644 Madison Ave., Lakewood, OH) and virtually. Details to come!
We will also be phone banking at lunch on August 22 from 12:00-1:00pm. A Zoom link will be provided.
Come help us pressure our representatives to let aid into Gaza immediately!
Feeding People from Cleveland to Palestine
We are also working on making sure our local community is fed through The People’s Distro, a worker-run distribution bringing fresh food, supplies, and service to Cleveland communities. We could use your help to continue our efforts, and we’re accepting donations here.
Action Asks
- Donate to Ashraf’s campaign.
- Call your elected representatives and demand they put pressure on Israel to allow aid into Gaza immediately.
- Participate in Empty Plates to Empty Cannons
- Come to the protest on August 16 and make noise for Gaza!
Sources
Aljazeera. “Gaza logs 15 new deaths from hunger, taking toll since Israel’s war to 101”
New York Times. “Israeli Troops Kill Dozens Seeking Food Near Border, Gazan Officials Say”
NPR. “Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 aid-seekers in Gaza since May, the U.N. says”