Palestine, genocide, Hamas, Israel occupation, ways to help Palestine

Teguan Harris

The Gaza genocide is continuing to kill innocent Palestinians and destroy homes and hospitals. Here is how you can help Palestine.

BRIEF OVERVIEW

A deadly Hamas attack on 7 October prompted Israel to declare war on Palestine. Hamas fighters have claimed over 800 Israelis’ lives in assaults on multiple towns in southern Israel.

Israel began a military offensive and a bombing campaign on a Gaza strip on Palestinian land that over 2 million people call home. Since the attack, over 11,000 people have been killed in Gaza.

The attack has resulted in mobilised troops along the Gaza border preparing for a ground attack. The troops have also announced a “total blockade” of the Gaza Strip, stopping the supply of food, fuel, water, and other essential resources for Palestinians. This blockade and bombing campaign have been declared war crimes under international law.

BRIEF HISTORY

The genocide of Palestinians did not start in October 2023. This has been happening since the conclusion of World War II in 1948.

Before 1948, Britain took control of Palestine after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the empire that ruled part of the Middle East in World War I. The Jewish minority and the Arab majority, along with other smaller ethnic groups, inhabited the Palestinian land.

The international community tasked the UK with establishing a “national home” in Palestine for Jewish people as tensions grew between the two peoples. With the Balfour Declaration of 1917 enshrined in the British mandate over Palestine and the League of Nations’ endorsement in 1922, the Jews and the Arabs both claimed the Palestinian land as theirs and opposed the move.

Tensions came to a head between the 1920s and 1940s when Jewish people moved to Palestine, as violence brewed between the Jews and the Arabs and also against British rule. Hundreds and thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes as Israel was created as a safe haven for Jewish people to flee from persecution, as well as making Palestine their national homeland.

Jewish leaders declared the creation of the State of Israel, forcing 750,000 Palestinians from their homes as the fighting between the Arabs and the Jews intensified.

HOW TO HELP GAZA

More Palestinians face death and terror during the genocide every day. They are calling for people to help raise awareness and amplify their voices. Here are the many ways we can help Palestine.

DONATE TO PALESTINIAN AID RESOURCES

One way that we can help Palestine is by donating to aid their resources. As Israel has blocked Palestine from accessing water, food, fuel, and more, donating to legitimate charities and fundraisers can help Palestinians access resources and aid.

Save the Children has set up a Gaza Emergency Appeal for the children of Palestine. As Palestinian children continue to live on the frontlines of genocide, their lives continue to be in danger every day, and their futures are at great risk. Donating to Save the Children will aid them in emergency first aid kits, school-in-a-bag kits, family hygiene packs, and food baskets.

Donating to Islamic Relief USA will help provide food for families, build rehabilitation centres for children with disabilities, and provide medical assistance. The Middle East Children’s Alliance also helps provide medical aid, clean water, food, psychological support, and more with your donation.

Israel has bombed hospitals in retaliation for the Hamas attack. Israeli soldiers remain in the largest medical facility in northern Gaza, the Al Shifa Hospital. Donating to LaunchGood will help support Gaza hospitals.

Palestinians are in need of SIMs to contact their families and the world. Download Simly and purchase eSim internet plans for Palestinians.

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON PALESTINIAN COLONIALISM

It is important to educate yourself on the Palestinian genocide and the Israeli occupation as they continue to happen in real-time.

Palestinian influencers and activists have recommended the Palestinian Academy. This is a website that educates on the genocide. This site was created to reclaim their narrative as the media and other Israelis continue to report in favour of Israel. Other resources, such as videos, donation sites, and books, have been included on the website for others to research deeper on apartheid.

The Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding, IMEU, has timely updates on the genocide. Others recommend following Palestinian journalists, activists, and pages on social media, such as @sbeih.jpg, @eye.on.palestine, @cravingpalestine, @qudsnen, and @mondoweiss.

For live updates on Palestine from the Palestinian press, follow Motaz Azaiza, Plestia Alaqad and Bisan on social media. To avoid absorbing misinformation, use the AP Fact Checker.

CONTACT REPRESENTATIVES AND HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE

Another way to help Palestine is by applying pressure on your representatives and Congress to call for a ceasefire.

The Jewish Voice for Peace has resources, support, and templates to help craft emails to call for a ceasefire. They also have contact details for your representatives and Congress in the USA.

On 15 November, the majority of UK MPs voted against calling for a ceasefire, with a total of 294 MPs voting against it. Only 125 MPs voted for a ceasefire motion.

To find your MP to demand a ceasefire, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign will help you locate your MP by entering your postcode. You can also do this on the UK Parliament website.

If your MP voted against or abstained from the vote, apply more pressure by expressing your disappointment as their constituent. The email template is linked here.

The Accountability Archive also holds journalists, politicians, and public figures endorsing or encouraging an ethnic cleansing of Gaza. This also holds them accountable for defaming pro-Paleestinian activists.

To hold them accountable, document instances of journalistic malfeasance, political warmongering and genocide promotion, and defamation of pro-Palestinian activists for posterity in this form. Holding them accountable will lead to the creation of a crowdsourced dataset that will be made publicly available in the future.

BOYCOTT COMPANIES THAT SUPPORT ISRAELI OCCUPATION

The BDS Movement has resources and information based on the companies that are funding the genocide of Palestinians.

Applying pressure on these companies to sever their solidarity with Israel will help to end all state, corporate, and institutional complicity with Israel’s genocidal regime.

Boycotting companies that are in solidarity with Israel will help to hold them accountable. This is a peaceful way to protest and an affordable way to help Palestine if you are unable to donate.

To boycott these companies, you will need to be strategic. It is unrealistic to boycott every company. The boycott will not affect all companies. The BDS Movement has more guidance on this.

DO MORE

It is important to keep talking about the ongoing genocide that is happening in Gaza. As more Palestinians are killed and more hospitals are bombed, the most important thing we can do is keep talking.

Palestinians are also sharing their stories during the genocide on social media. Do not ignore the stories being shared. Amplify their voices. Share their stories. Keep talking about it.

As we continue to absorb the horrifying genocide, we cannot afford to turn away from the suffering Palestinians. Also, attend protests. Look for any information on protests that are happening in your city, and attend if you can.

If we stop talking, the world will forget Palestine.

Featured image courtesy of Ahmed Abu Hameeda on Unsplash. No changes were made to the image. Image licence found here. 

Writer and journalist. University graduate in English Literature. Book reader, word lover and Notion enthusiast.

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