Tag: Gaza

  • Actress Indy Moore arrested alongside several Jewish American activists protesting Gaza genocide

    Actress Indy Moore arrested alongside several Jewish American activists protesting Gaza genocide

    As Israel cut off all communication services in Gaza before initiating the heaviest bombing the region has ever seen, Palestinian activists and human rights organisations are outraged as they cannot keep in touch with media organisations or their loved ones who are under Israeli siege.

    Yesterday, a massive sit-in was announced by anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice For Peace to protest against the on-going genocide in Gaza. More than 200 Jewish American activists were arrested by the police. Among them was ‘Pose’ actress Indya Moore, who could be seen chanting “Not in our name” along with the rest of the protesters as she was arrested by the police.

    Indya was also among the several actors who signed a letter asking Joe Biden to end the genocide of Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter through. Other celebrities who had signed the letter included Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Oscar Isaac and Academy Award winner Joaquin Pheonix.

  • New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

    New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

    Hundreds of people were arrested Friday when police broke up a large demonstration of mostly Jewish New Yorkers who had taken over the main hall of Grand Central station in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, police and organizers said.

    The New York Police Department said at least 200 people had been arrested, while protest organizers put the number at more than 300.

    Photos from the scene showed long lines of young people standing in handcuffs and wearing black sweatshirts with the words “Not In Our Name” and “Cease Fire Now” printed in white.

    The massive sit-in was called by the group Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, which said thousands of its members had attended the protest, blocking the main concourse of the city’s central rail station.

    Pictures showed the terminal packed with protesters who held up banners reading “Palestinians should be free” and “Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living.”

    Organizers called the peaceful sit-in “the largest civil disobedience New York City has seen in 20 years.”

    Rabbis launched the event by lighting Shabbat candles and reciting the Jewish prayer for the dead, known as the kaddish.

    “While Shabbat is typically a day of rest, we cannot afford to rest while genocide is unfolding in our names,” said Rabbi May Ye, in a statement released by organizers.

    “The lives of Palestinians and Israelis are intertwined, and safety can only come from justice, equality, and freedom for all,” the rabbi said.

    Israel launched its bombardment of Gaza after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on 7 October, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 220 others, according to Israeli officials.

    The Hamas-run health ministry said Friday that Israeli strikes on Gaza had now killed 7,326 people, more than 3,000 of them children.

  • Palestinian Health Ministry provides credible casualty figures: UN

    Palestinian Health Ministry provides credible casualty figures: UN

    While US President Joe Biden has questioned the reliability of the death toll coming from Gaza, the United Nations has verified that the figures provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health have a history of being credible.

    “In the past, the five, six cycles of conflict in the Gaza Strip, these figures were considered as credible and no one ever really challenged these figures,” the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) chief, Philippe Lazzarini, said while speaking to the media on Friday.

    On Thursday, the Health Ministry released a 212-page document with names and identity numbers of those killed in Israeli air raid since October 7, having collected the data from morgues and hospitals.

    The list consists of 6,747 people killed in the Israeli attacks, including 2,665 children whereas 529 bodies are yet to be identified.

    Anadolu Agency has said that 8,400 people have been killed including at least 7,028 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.

  • ‘Soon many more will die’: What do we know about day 21

    ‘Soon many more will die’: What do we know about day 21

    At least 480 killed in Israeli attacks in past 24 hours

    More than 481 people have been killed in the last 24 hours alone as Israel continues air raids, reports Gaza’s health authority.

    In total 7,028 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the latest conflict, 66 per cent of them women and children, according to the authority.

    More information on Israel’s ground raid in Gaza

    The Israeli army’s spokesperson has said that during the past day, infantry, armoured and engineering forces, with air support, conducted a concentrated raid in the centre of the Gaza Strip as part of preparations for the “next stages of the war.”

    “The raid began yesterday in broad daylight, and all the forces I mentioned participated in it as combat forces, and it ended successfully in the hours of this morning,” the spokesperson said, adding that there were no casualties among Israeli forces, who exited Gaza after the conclusion of the operation.

    10 doctors, 10 trucks enter Gaza

    10 foreign doctors and 10 trucks carrying water, food and medicine have been sent to Gaza through the Rafah border.

    This means that 84 trucks have been sent to Gaza since the allowance of aid after October 7 – which authorities consider as a mere “drop in the ocean”.

    Hospital workers still require medical supplies and fuel on urgent basis to operate generators while thousands of injured await medical aid.

    ‘Soon many more will die’ from Gaza siege: UN

    The United Nations has warned that “many more will die” because of Israel’s “total blockade” of the Gaza Strip as medical services are “crumbling”.

    “People in Gaza are dying – they are not only dying from bombs and strikes, soon many more will die from the consequences of [the] siege imposed on the Gaza Strip,” said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

    “Basic services are crumbling, medicine is running out, food and water are running out, the streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage.”

    1,000 unidentified bodies under Gaza debris

    According to estimates received by the World Health Organization, at least 1,000 unidentified people, who have not been added to the death toll, are still buried under the rubble of the destroyed building in Gaza.

    “We also get these estimates that there are still 1,000 plus people under the rubble which have not been identified yet,” said the UN health agency’s representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, Richard Peeperkorn.

    As of yet, more than 7,000 have been killed in Israeli air raids since October 7.

  • Ushna Shah’s opinion on McDonald’s workers has divided social media

    Ushna Shah’s opinion on McDonald’s workers has divided social media

    Ushna Shah’s recent take on boycotting McDonald’s and other international franchises has divided social media. The actress is currently among the vocal celebrities calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Yesterday she expressed her outrage at a video showing IDF soldiers in Israel enjoying McDonald’s. The Israeli franchise was subjected to international backlash when they announced they were providing free meals to soldiers. Ushna shared the video and urged her followers to boycott the brand, writing:

    “I swear to God if I see anyone touch #McDonalds or have it anywhere near me I’m going to rage. Keep it the hell off my sets & if you choose to eat it or endorse it stay the hell away from me, & be prepared for an earful. And for Muslims, consider it as Haram as pork.”

    A commentor under her X post questioned if Ushna was thinking about the countless workers in local McDonald’s franchises, who would be jobless if the restaurant was boycotted. To which the ‘Habs’ actor responded:

    “Shut up. Those people can find employment at a local fast food chain . McDonalds is a Franchise and as a Franchise it has chosen to send 4000 daily meals to an army that is annihilating Gaza. Closing this franchise in Pakistan will open doors for local businesses to flourish which is far better for our economy. This argument is ridiculous. McDonalds needs to be banned. Simple.”

    While some users agreed with Ushna’ take to boycott McDonald’s, other’s felt her tweet reeked of elitism.

    There were users on X who agreed to stop purchasing McDonald’s to ensure their support for Palestine remains strong.

    “Mcdonalds is next to where i play football in Singapore. I sometimes had it on my way back. Today, i chose to walk 2 km to a local joint instead. If i can, you can.”

    But others felt her tweet especially regarding workers finding job elsewhere read like elitism, and many users pointed out there needs to be conversation on how the middle class survives boycotts like these.

    “an elite woman telling people who live the consequences of poor economy to go find another job is insane,” a user wrote.

    This user pointed out that we should help employees find new jobs so they’re not affected by the McDonald’s boycott.

    “An average #McDonalds employee earns 25 to 30K, and in a country where people beg for jobs, you’re asking them to leave their jobs? Who will provide them with new jobs? First get them jobs at local chains with same salary and a ration of a month then lash out at them. #Pakistan“

    “Someone please tell her that your boycott wont have any impact on global chain of McDonalds since they operate via franchise in Pakistan and the only loss would be Pakistan’s economy and people employed there. Get them job first then come up with such activism.”

    “and until those ppl dont get re-employed at a local chain, they’d be on Ushna’s payroll ? Its easier said then done. people do not estimate the impact. Its 5,000 to 8,000 families getting affected if a chain closes. Its not really about not having a big mac, that’s the easy part”

  • Bradley Cooper, Dua Lipa, Florence Pugh, other artists sign open letter urging Gaza ceasefire

    Bradley Cooper, Dua Lipa, Florence Pugh, other artists sign open letter urging Gaza ceasefire

    An open letter was posted on social media by Pakistani-British actor Riz Ahmed, calling for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza. The letter urged world leaders and civilians to end the ongoing bombing in Gaza, where currently the death toll is set to hit 7000, including 3000 children.

    “We urge your administration, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the holy land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay- and end to the bombing of Gaza and safe release of the hostages.”

    “We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. History is watching,” the letter, addressed primarily to US President Joe Biden, said.

    The letter is signed by actors like Alyssa Milano, America Ferrera, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, Bradley Cooper (who had also signed the other letter calling for release of all Israeli hostages), Channing Tatum, Politician Cynthia Nixon and Sandra Oh.

    Jewish director of the film ‘Bottoms’, Emma Seligman, was also among the signatories. She clarified on Instagram that she was wrong to sign the letter demanding more funding for Israel. She released a post on her Instagram stories clarifying her position was always pro Palestine.

    Here is the complete letter.

  • ‘Fear is not an option’: Bella Hadid speaks out on Palestine genocide

    ‘Fear is not an option’: Bella Hadid speaks out on Palestine genocide

    Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid has broken her silence to speak out against Palestinian genocide. Currently, the death toll has reached 7500, with 3000 of them being children.

    Bella apologised for her silence for the past two weeks, and spoke about the threats she was given to remain silent: “I’ve been sent hundreds of death threats daily, my phone number leaked and my family has felt to be in danger. But I can not be silenced any longer. Fear is not an option. The people and children of Palestine, especially in Gaza, cannot afford our silence. We are not brave- they are.”

    Gigi, Bella and her family were targeted with threats because of their outspoken support for Palestine. The family members recieved threats on emails, phone calls which gave graphic descriptions of how they would be murdered.

    READ MORE: Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid are receiving death threats, phone numbers doxed after Palestine support

    Bella wrote her heart is bleeding on the bloodshed and violence Gaza has witnessed in these past two weeks, when hospitals, mosques and bakeries were bombed by Israeli airstrikes.

    “My heart is bleeding with pain from the trauma I am seeing unfold, as well as the generational trauma of my Palestinian blood. Seeing the aftermath from the airstrikes in Gaza, I mourn with all the mothers who have lost children, and the children who cry alone, all the lost fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, friends that will never again walk this earth.”

    Bella reflected on the history of her father, Mohammad Hadid, who was a survivor of the 1948 Nakba when Israeli forces expelled 750,000 people from Palestine.

    “My father was born in Nazareth in the year of the Nakba (the displacement of 750,000 Palestinians in 1948.) Nine days after he was born, he, in his mother’s arms, along with his family were expelled from their home in Palestine, becoming refugees, away from a place they once called home. My grandparents, never being allowed to return. My famiyl witnessed 75 years of violence against Palestinian people- most notably, brutal settle invasions which led to the destruction of entire communities, murder in cold blood and the forcible removal of families from their homes. The practice of settlements on Palestinian land still continues to this day. The pain of that is unimaginable.”

    READ MORE: There is a painful history behind why supermodels Gigi, Bella Hadid support the Palestinian cause

    Bella urged her followers to be aware of the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to keep pressurising governments to listen to the needs of Palestinians:

    “There is an urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza that must be attended to. Families need access to water and food. Hospitals need fuel to power generators, tend to the wounded and keep people alive. Wars have laws – and they must be upheld, no matter what. We need to keep pressure on our leaders, wherever they are, not to forget the urgent needs of the people of Gaza, and to ensure that innocent Palestinian civilians are not the forgotten casualties of war,”

  • Biden has ‘no confidence’ in Gaza death toll: What do we know about day 20

    Biden has ‘no confidence’ in Gaza death toll

    In his latest statement, US President Joe Biden has said that he has “no confidence in the number that Palestinians are using” to report on the death toll in the Gaza Strip, which, according to the Palestinian health ministry, is over 6,500.

    “I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war,” Biden said.

    Previously, US intelligence officials also doubted the reported killings of 471 people in Gaza’s Al-Ahli Arab Hospital bombing on October 17. While the official number was provided by the Gazan authorities, the US believed the number fell between 100 and 300.

    According to the latest update by Al jazeera, the health ministry in the besieged enclave has claimed that killings in Gaza have crossed 7,000 as a result of Israeli air strikes including 2,913 children, 1,709 women and 397 elderly, the health ministry in the besieged enclave reported.

    West Bank

    Israel continues to raid Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, arresting more than 1,450 since October 7 and killing more than 100.

    Netanyahu talks about ground attacks on Gaza

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel is getting ready for a ground operation in Gaza, however, he has not said when it is to start.

    “We are in a war for our sovereignty, for our existence, and we have set ourselves two fundamental objectives: to eradicate Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities and to do everything possible to bring the hostages … back home,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

    Another failed UN Security Council resolution on Gaza

    A US-led resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” ended up in vain as Russia and China vetoed whereas the United Arab Emirates voted against it.

    Albania, France, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States voted in favour while Brazil and Mozambique abstained.

    China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun told the council after the vote that, “The draft does not reflect the world’s strongest calls for a ceasefire, an end to the fighting, and it does not help resolve the issue,

    “At this moment, ceasefire is not just a diplomatic term. It means the life and death of many civilians.”

    Previously, a Russia-led resolution urging for “humanitarian ceasefire” also failed to get enough votes in favour as only Russia, China, UAE, and Gabon voted in favour while UK and the US opposed it.

    Countries that abstained included Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland

    12 aid trucks sent but no fuel

    The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported to have received 12 trucks with food, medicine and medical supplies.

    Only 74 trucks have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip since October 7 while fuel is yet to be supplied.

    Credit: Al Jazeera

  • Instagram influencers to follow for updates on Gaza

    Instagram influencers to follow for updates on Gaza

    Here is a list of people you can follow on Instagram to stay updated on what is happening in Gaza:

    Here is how can make sure you are able to keep up with all the posts of other similar accounts that are being censored:

  • College students from 100 American universities walkout to protest for Gaza ceasefire

    University campuses across the USA staged walkouts on Wednesday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, as the death toll climbs to almost 6000 civilians. According to Teen Vogue, the walkout was organised by a number of groups including the Palestinian Youth Movement; Dissenters, an anti-war youth movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine and several others.

    Zoe DeMarcado, a student from Xavier University in Louisiana, said the walk-out was staged to bring attention to calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes have targeted bakeries, schools and mosques sheltering civilians. “The goal of our walkout and moment of silence is to disrupt the day-to-day complicity on American college campuses across the US,” she said. “We can’t stay silent about this.”

    Islamophobic hate crimes are on the rise in the US after six-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea Al-Fayoume was stabbed by his neighbour in Chicago on October 16. On 23 October, another 20-year-old Palestinian American was hospitalised after a hit-and-run in Cleaveland.

    More student activists are joining in on the call for a ceasefire and hold Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyu accountable for being a war criminal. A week ago, climate change activist Greta Thunberg expressed solidarity towards Palestine in an Instagram post, calling for a ceasefire. Several students from Harvard University were doxed by a conservative group, after they wrote an open letter calling out Israel over the genocide of Palestinians.

    Currently the Wednesday walk-out in support for Palestine is the first nationally coordinated student movement of this scale, with students from campuses like NYU, Yale and Duke demanding for an end to Israel’s siege on Palestine, ban on weapons sales to Israel and for an end to university investment in the Palestinian genocide.