Today marks the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel and three years of Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Despite a “ceasefire,” Israel continues to kill Palestinians on a near daily basis and has invaded more than 70% of Gaza’s territory. Israel has damaged or destroyed virtually all of Gaza’s housing, education, healthcare, and sanitation infrastructure.
As a Quaker organization, we believe that all people have “that of God” within us. We hold in the Light all who have been killed, including more than 1,000 Israelis killed on October 7 and more than 75,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza over the last three years. We mourn with the Palestinian people, who have borne the trauma of genocide, not just in Gaza, but around the world.
Bearing witness is not enough. For three years, the international community has watched a genocide unfold in Gaza and failed to stop it. The U.S. government has enabled this genocide with billions of dollars. We continue to call for a real and permanent ceasefire, full humanitarian access, an arms embargo on Israel, and an end to Israeli occupation and apartheid. This is what will create the foundation for a just and lasting peace.
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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.