For Immediate Release
Nov. 14, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
CODEPINK Members Join Hunger Strike in Solidarity with Jordanian Youth Demanding End to Gaza Siege
Washington, D.C. — A small group of CODEPINK members has started a hunger strike in solidarity with the Jordanian youth calling for an end to the ongoing siege of Gaza. This action follows a solidarity event held by the Free Youth Movement in Amman, Jordan, where youth activists announced an open hunger strike demanding the lifting of the siege on Gaza and the urgent entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged region.
The hunger strike began in Jordan and has sparked international support, with various peace and pro-Palestinian groups joining the action in the United States. Among them are members of Veterans for Peace in Washington, D.C., and Doctors Against Genocide in New York. CODEPINK has also rallied behind the hunger strike, with Bay Area member Leslie Angeline preparing to join the strike on Monday, November 17.
"I'm joining the Hunger Strike for Gaza because a hunger strike is the strongest stance a human can take. It's putting your body on the line and saying 'No! People in Gaza are starving; I'm going to stand in solidarity with you,’" said Leslie Angeline, a seasoned activist who has participated in several hunger strikes such as the one she led in 2017 to demand a meeting with Senator Joe Lieberman over his stance on war with Iran.
The United States’ refusal to enact real pressure on Israel to lift the siege and ensure aid is delivered has caused the crisis in Gaza to deteriorate rapidly. On October 13, the United States issued an ultimatum to Israel, demanding compliance with U.S. and international law and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza or face the withholding of U.S. weapons transfers. Despite this, the deadline passed with no significant improvements for Gaza and no consequences for Israel. Only 11 aid trucks have been allowed to enter Northern Gaza this month, and Israel is still blocking them from reaching the people in need. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to allow weapons to flow into Israel and Israel continues to use them to murder innocent men, women, and children.
The hunger strike serves as a call for urgent action to break the siege, demand humanitarian access to Gaza, and end Israel’s genocidal campaign that has devastated the region. CODEPINK and other participating groups stand in firm opposition to the ongoing blockade and the use of U.S. weapons in the genocide, advocating for an immediate shift toward peace and justice for the people of Gaza.
For more information or to join the hunger strike in solidarity, please contact CODEPINK at [email protected].
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