This legislative ask is designed to be shared with your members of Congress and their staff.
We are heartbroken by the ongoing violence in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory. As Quakers, we deeply mourn the loss of all lives and pray for those who have lost loved ones in this conflict.
Call for an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and humanitarian access to prevent further civilian harm in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory.
We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ attacks and inhumane treatment of hostages and call for their immediate release. We also condemn the indiscriminate and violent Israeli response that has already claimed thousands of civilian lives.
Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis in the Oct. 7 attack and took 200 civilian hostages into Gaza. The subsequent Israeli military attack on Gaza has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children.
Since the escalation began, the Israeli government has restricted food, fuel, and humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip. The U.N. is warning of a looming famine if urgent action is not taken. More than a million people have been internally displaced due to the fighting. There is currently no safe place in Gaza. As the bombardment and blockade persist, the humanitarian toll continues to mount.
More war and weapons won’t bring peace. In the face of growing violence, lawmakers must:
- Publicly call for a permanent ceasefire to prevent the further loss of life;
- Prioritize the protection of all civilians by urgently permitting humanitarian aid into Gaza, fully funding UNRWA (the U.N. agency supporting Palestinian refugees) and other aid operations, and working to secure the release of hostages;
- Prohibit the transfer of more weapons and military assistance to Israel;
- Work diplomatically to support regional de-escalation across the Middle East; and
- Urge all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law.
