La Via Campesina Denounces Israeli Aggression in Gaza and Stands in Solidarity with Palestine
Solidarity statement
The cessation of Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip is an immediate necessity. Israel’s actions against the vulnerable Palestinian population should not go unaddressed. It is incumbent upon the global community to enforce restraining measures and hold Israel accountable for its transgressions against humanity. A multitude of farmers currently face Israeli bombardment, with many lives tragically lost. An extensive swath of agricultural lands and water resources are being decimated, a strategy seemingly designed to induce starvation among the Palestinians in Gaza.
14/05/2023 | Bagnolet, France
In the early hours of Tuesday, May 9, 2023, Israeli forces launched a severe assault on three residential complexes in the Gaza Strip. A squadron of 40 warplanes was deployed in this assault on the densely populated residences. The immediate consequence was the tragic loss of 13 Palestinian lives and numerous injuries, including 7 children and 3 women. With the initiation of this military operation in Gaza, the death toll has exceeded 30, with 24 women and children among the casualties, and many more left in shock and distress.
The assault was initiated while the residents were sleeping, and no significant events preceded this devastating act. Entire families were obliterated in their sleep, a distressing act that underscores the severity of the atrocity committed against civilians. Israel justifies the assault by identifying the target as three activists involved with Islamic Jihad, disregarding the fact that these activists were residing with their families in residential buildings. This act is yet another in a series of transgressions committed by the Israeli forces against the Palestinian people, who have been engaged in a struggle for their liberty for the past 75 years.
This ongoing aggression, now in its fourth day, has also targeted farming communities and agricultural lands in the border areas and has persistently barred fishermen from venturing into the sea. From the onset of the assault, the Israeli forces have continuously bombarded thousands of acres of agricultural land, preventing farmers from accessing their fields. This has inflicted significant losses on the farming community, resulting in a critical shortage of food, particularly vegetables, on which the entire Gaza Strip is dependent.
For the past four days, Israeli forces have relentlessly bombed residential areas throughout the Gaza Strip, showing an alarming disregard for the civilian population, primarily composed of women and children. The Gaza Strip has been under a severe blockade for over 16 years, which has led to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians due to a shortage of essential medicines and medical care.
We, at La Via Campesina, vehemently condemn these brutal acts and we urge the free people of the world to actively support the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation in all possible ways. It is the duty of the international community to eliminate double standards in dealing with this occupation.
We demand the end of the occupation and freedom for the resilient Palestinian people.