Tag: genocide

  • Palestinian poet, novelist Heba Abu Nada killed by Israeli strike

    Palestinian poet, novelist Heba Abu Nada killed by Israeli strike

    On Friday, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture announced the death of Palestinian poet and novelist Heba Abu Nada. The author was killed during bombardment at Khan Younis by the Israel.

    Heba’s debut novel ‘Oxygen Is Not For The Dead’ in 2017 won her the second place at the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity.

    Abu Nada was born in Mecca in 1991, studied bio chemistry at the Islamic University of Gaza, and completed her Masters in Clinical Nutrition.

    Palestinian-Swedish political scientist Abdalhadi Alija, who announced Heba’s death on social media, added a declaration she had made before passing away: “If we die, know that we are content and steadfast, and convey on our behalf that we are people of truth.”

  • ‘Sit down’: Mahira Khan shuts accusations against her of not supporting Palestine

    ‘Sit down’: Mahira Khan shuts accusations against her of not supporting Palestine

    As social media users and human rights activists rally across the world for a free Palestine with an end to the genocide, several Twitter users in the past week were critical of Pakistani actresses who were silent. Mahira Khan was a target of such accusations when a post on her X (formerly Twitter) account went viral with users accusing her of playing both sides. The actress wrote about praying for peace and humanity to triumph over evil.

    A user in the comments section slammed the actress for posting a vague message so that she can continue working in Hollywood, to which Mahira responded bluntly. “Uhhh I call it loud and clear. Sit down. Use your time to pray for Palestine.”

    Over the past week, the ‘Humsafar’ actress has used her social media account to consistently share updates on the on-going genocide in Gaza, where the death toll has reached to 4200 civilians as reported by Al-Jazeera. She has also shared clips of activists and scholars who condemned Israel’s apartheid-like policies towards the Palestinian community.

  • ‘You shut the F up’: Dave Chappelle gives it to Israeli supporter as crowd cheers him on

    ‘You shut the F up’: Dave Chappelle gives it to Israeli supporter as crowd cheers him on

    An account about comedian Dave Chappelle, posted on Twitter, is going viral on social media.

    A user posted that during a Boston show, in front of a sold-out crowd 22,000 strong, Chappelle criticised Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Podcaster Imran Muneer narrated that Dave acknowledged the attacks by the Hamas were wrong, but Israel had no right to slaughter countless Palestinian civilians. An attendee in the crowd shouted “Shut the f* up Dave”, to which Chappelle responded “No you shut the f* up.”

    “You don’t take tens of billions from my country to go kill innocent women and children and come and tell me to shut the f* up,” narrated Imran.Dave then went on to criticise Israel for begging USA for money, and then using it to drop bombs on women and children: “He said don’t come begging for money from my country and then go drop bombs on children and cut off innocent people water and electricity. You have the audacity to pay to come see me and then tell me shut the f* up, no you shut the f*** up. The crowd started clapping and cheering for him and saying yes Dave and chants of free Palestine and then he said you’re damn right free Palestine.”

    Imran also pointed out the crowd at Dave’s show comprised of 80% white, 5% black and the rest were Latins.

  • Faryal Makhdoom calls out Israel’s attempt to bribe influencers to stay quiet on Palestine

    Faryal Makhdoom calls out Israel’s attempt to bribe influencers to stay quiet on Palestine

    Social media influencer and wife to boxer Amir Khan, Faryal Makhdoom has used her social media platform to speak out on the Israeli bombardment of Palestine. She shared a screenshot today of a message she received from the Israeli government, asking her to cease supporting Palestine in exchange for money.

    In the caption, Faryal wrote: “I got this message last night. Like it’s going to stop me from posting the truth.”

    Faryal shared another post of an Israeli commentator on her Instagram account who attempted to sway her support for Palestine by writing that Hamas was behind the controversial hospital attack in Gaza. Faryal shut the user down with a list of facts that proved the attack was by Israel.

    Egyptian influencer Dina Tokio shared a similar message she received on Whatsapp and condemned this by writing “typical behavior”.

    Several users have reported receiving bribe offers from organisations demanding them to pull back from posting content about Palestine. British influencer Cara Watson is going viral on social media for criticising a company trying to pressure her with money to support Israel’s ongoing genocide.

  • How can Pakistani’s help the Palestinian movement?

    How can Pakistani’s help the Palestinian movement?

    As the genocide of Palestinians goes on with the death toll currently reported to be 12,493 people in Gaza as per Al-Jazeera. Many of us Pakistanis are feeling a sense of helplessness as videos are emerging showing children killed, shell-shocked or traumatised by the violence they witnessed, asking how they can continue to support the fight for a free Palestine. Here are the several ways you can support the Palestinian cause:

    Donate:

    We are listing down several organisations that are taking donations from Pakistan to help provide humanitarian relief to Palestinians.

    Doctors Without Borders

    This is an organisation that is currently working to provide medical relief and aid to countless injured civilians in Gaza. Pakistani’s can visit their website and provide donations through Mastercard or Visa.

    Al Khidmat Foundation:

    This organisation is working on the ground to provide humanitarian assistance to the wounded in Gaza. Click on their website to send a donation.

    Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:

    The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is actively working in Gaza to provide medical surgery, mental health programs and also to sponsor children who have become orphans as a result of the war. You can visit their website to find out details on how to donate.

    Read more books about the Palestinian liberation movement and from Palestinians authors

    Here are some books you can look up on to learn more about the origins of apartheid in Palestine, and how did the Nakba begin. These books are currently available at The Last Word or you can download them as pdf’s online.

    Children Of The Stone: the power of music in a hard land by Sandy Tolan

    Chronicles the story of Ramzi Hussein Aburedwan, a child from Palestinian refugee camps who rose to become a music student and founded a music school with the help of musicians around the world.

    The Palestine Nakba: Decolonising History, Narrating The Subaltern, Reclaiming Memory by Nur Masalha.

    This book debunks some of the narratives presented by Israelis in an attempt to suppress the resistance, by directly narrating history from Palestinians.

    Freedom Is A Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine and the foundations of a movement by Angela Davis

    This book is a collection of essays, interviews and speeches written by activist and scholar Angela Davis who draws the comparison between state violence and oppression throughout the world such as Ferguson and the Palestine struggle.

    Watch movies and documentaries made by Palestinians

    Five Broken Cameras: A documentary made by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi on the protests led by Palestinian farmers in Bil’in, a West Bank village which was encroached by the Israeli West Bank barrier. Available on Netflix.

    Chilldren Of Shatila (1998): A documentary that focuses on the lives of two Palestinian children growing up Beirut’s Palestinian Shatila refugee camp. Available on Netflix.

    Gaza (2019): A documentary that looks in to the lives of Gazan citizens and their everyday routine. Available to stream online.

    Follow Palestinian influencers on Instagram and TikTok

    Subhi who goes by sbeih.jpeg on Instagram provides regular updates on the on-ground situation in Gaza.

    Mohammad Elkurd is a Palestinian poet whose Instagram account mohammadelkurd provides updates on the situation in Gaza.

    Plestia Alaqad is a journalist who gives regular updates on Gaza on her TikTok and Instagram account byplestia

    Boycott brands that are providing donations to Israel

    Here is an official list of brands listed by the Palestinian BDS Movement a group of activists currently leading the call for the end of genocide in Gaza.

  • Greta Thunberg calls for ceasefire in Gaza, freedom for Palestine

    Greta Thunberg calls for ceasefire in Gaza, freedom for Palestine

    Climate Change activist Greta Thunberg has raised her voice in calling for an end to the genocide in Palestine. She shared a post on Instagram, holding the poster ‘Free Gaza’ and announced that she was striking in solidarity with Palestine.

    “Week 270. Today we are striking in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected.”

    The climate change activist also shared several accounts for her followers to educate themselves on the struggle for Free Palestine.

  • Four more Hollywood superstars condemn assault on Palestine

    Four more Hollywood superstars condemn assault on Palestine

    As the tide turns with more activists and public figures taking to social media and the streets to condemn Israel’s barbaric genocide inflicted upon Palestinians, several A-list celebrities have joined in to condemn the war in Gaza.

    Actor Mark Ruffalo shared a link to a Huffpost article on the 10000 Jewish activists who stormed a congressional office building, and re shared a quote given by prominent Palestinian supporter and Jewish professor Naomi Klein:

    “Since we were children, so many of us have told ourselves that we would not stand by if we were ever witnesses to genocidal violence,” Naomi Klein said. “We told ourselves that we would raise our voices. We told ourselves we would put our bodies on the line. We pledged that such horrors would never again happen on our watch.”

    Ruffalo, Marvel’s Hulk, has been a vocal proponent of the Palestinian cause.

    Jenna Ortega, who is the star behind Netflix’s critically acclaimed series ‘Wednesday’ has remained a staunch supporter towards creating a free state for the Palestinians. She re-shared a post calling for an end to the ongoing genocide by a page called Jewish Voice For Peace.

    She then shared a post by a Jewish American poet and activist Andrea Gibson who wrote a detailed account of how US plays an active role in the on-going genocide of the Palestinians.

    Aimee Lou Wood, the actress from Netflix’s popular series ‘Sex Education’ shared a series of posts spreading awareness about the on-going genocide in Palestine, and shared links to the UN Relief Agency collecting funds to provide humanitarian relief to those suffering.

    Rapper Macklemore shared a lengthy statement on his Instagram account where he called for a Free Palestine and an end to the genocide of all its people.

  • Shifting tides: More prominent Hollywood celebrities are condemning the violence in Palestine

    Shifting tides: More prominent Hollywood celebrities are condemning the violence in Palestine

    After the horrific Al-Ahli Baptist hospital bombardment in Gaza, prominent celebrities as well as Jewish activists in the US have taken to social media and the streets to condemn the ongoing genocide of Palestinians, calling for a ceasefire. On Wednesday, 500 Jewish activists were arrested after they stormed the Congressional building, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

    READ MORE: 500 Jewish protesters arrested after demanding ceasefire inside Capitol Hill

    Hollywood celebrities are joining in on the voices to condemn the bombing of Gaza. Yara Shahidi released a statement on her Instagram account, demanding an end to the atrocities and a ceasefire.

    ‘We must also have the capacity to hold on to the urgent need for support and allyship for the Palestinian peoples who have been pushed into yet-another forced relocation, killed in designated places of refuge, and denied access to humanitarian aid- no access to water, electricity or food- violating explicit international humanitarian laws.”

    ‘Sex And The City’ actor and politician Cynthia Nixon condemned the violence in Palestine, urging her colleagues to join Cori Bush’s call for a ceasefire.

    Celebrity couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend shared a joint statement on their Instagram account, revealing that they were working with organisations like World Central Kitchen and Doctor’s Without Borders to ensure children and families in both Palestine and Israel have access to humanitarian relief.

    In the last paragraph, the couple called upon world leaders to “do everything in their power to protect the human rights of children impacted by the ongoing conflict.”

    Doctors Without Borders has explicitly shown footage on their Instagram account of the massacre at Al-Ahli hospital after the Israeli attack, writing that, “Nothing justifies a shocking attack on a hospital and its many patients and health workers, as well as the people who sought shelter there.”

    World Central Kitchen has shared videos of food donations they have provided to struggling families affected by the war in Gaza and in Israel.

  • ‘Cry to my lord’: Pakistani celebrities shocked at Gaza hospital bombing

    ‘Cry to my lord’: Pakistani celebrities shocked at Gaza hospital bombing

    On 17 October, Israeli jets bombed the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, where countless Palestinians had sought medical treatment and refuge from the ongoing genocide. Reports say that the strike was the deadliest attack committed by Israel in its history, with 500 confirmed dead and the death toll rising, according to Al-Jazeera.

    Celebrities like Ushna Shah and Osman Khalid Butt took to social media to express their outrage at the world’s apathy towards the Palestinian genocide.

    Ushna Shah wrote: “A hospital. A HOSPITAL! What do we boycott? Where do we strike? What do we do? Someone tell me what to do! All I am able to do currently is pray and cry to my Lord, hold my dear ones close and write on this platform. Someone tell us what to do, where to begin.”

    Actor Osman Khalid Butt demanded an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to enter into Gaza.

    Writer and columnist Fatima Bhutto criticised Israel’s attempts to distract the world from its crimes by attempting to thwart the narrative.

    British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan shared videos of the sea of dead bodies found after the bombing, and expressed his grief over the loss of lives in Gaza.

  • Tilda Swinton, Steve Coogan along with 2000 artists call for ceasefire in Gaza

    Tilda Swinton, Steve Coogan along with 2000 artists call for ceasefire in Gaza

    Renowned names like Tilda Swinton, Liam Cunningham and Charles Dance are among 2000 artists who have signed an open letter accusing their governments of involvement in Israel’s war on Gaza. The letter states that “the specter of death” hangs over the territory, as Israeli military bombed a Gaza hospital where more than 1000 people are reported dead.

    The letter includes producers, writers, architects, directors and comedians who accused their government of “not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them. There will come a time when they are held to account for their complicity. But for now, while condemning every act of violence against civilians and every infringement of international law whoever perpetrates them, our obligation is to do all we can to bring an end to the unprecedented cruelty being inflicted on Gaza.”

    “Gaza is already a society of refugees and the children of refugees. Now, in their hundreds of thousands, bombarded from air, sea and land, Palestinians whose grandparents were forced out of their homes at the barrel of a gun are again being told to flee – or face collective punishment on an unimaginable scale.  Dispossessed of rights, described by Israel’s minister of defence as ‘human animals’, they have become people to whom almost anything can be done.”

    The letter ended with the signatories calling for their government to end military and political support for Israel’s actions, and for an immediate ceasefire to commence.