Medical researchers estimate that Israel has killed up to and over 186,000 Palestinians since October 7th, nearly 8% of the entire population of Gaza. The settler colonial state has displaced over 1,900,000 Palestinians, a figure that represents 90% of Gaza’s entire population. Projections estimate that, as of September 2024, 96% of Palestinians in Gaza will be facing Crisis, Emergency, or Catastrophic levels of hunger due to Israel's forced starvation, with 100% of the population facing some degree of food insecurity. Through these genocidal policies, Israel has intentionally targeted Palestinian children for harm, displacing, starving, mutilating, and killing them at unprecedented rates.

The past year has exposed us to the deep moral depravity of American politicians, media, university presidents, and CEOs who profit off of our people’s genocide, valuing wealth and power over human life. However, we have also seen a robust movement of people from all struggles affirming their support for Palestinian freedom from Zionism. Our Struggle, spanning over a century of resistance, is united with the struggles of all communities striving for freedom from colonial, imperialist, and capitalist violence, including Black, Indigenous, student, and labor movements. Ours is an international movement committed to the enduring fight for land, life, and liberation.

In this fight, we will continue to amplify Gaza’s voice on a global stage, embodying our people's sumud (steadfastness) through our Strengthening Steadfastness campaign, which seeks to raise $1,000,000 for the Middle East Children’s Alliance. Following our press conference and vigil on October 4th, we will mobilize with our local coalition in Chicago on October 5th to demand an end to the genocide. As Palestinians in the United States, we are calling for a total arms embargo along with a complete and total boycott of and divestment from the “State of Israel” and all of its institutions.