“Bismillaahir-rahmaanir raheem”
(In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful)
Watermelon Wednesday is a weekly brief shared with our elected officials to ensure they are aware of Israel’s aggression, the Palestinian experience, and our country’s complicity in this genocide and international war crimes.
TL;DR:
- >150 Gazans killed this week, many near aid sites. Starvation death toll at 217. Israel carries out more demolitions in the West Bank in 2025 than any other year.
- Netanyahu is moving forward with a plan to fully take over Gaza, starting with Gaza City.
- Slovenia and Germany limit their weapons trade with Israel. The following groups publicly condemned Israel: Russia, Australia, EU, UK, MSF, etc.
- Trump is ok with Israel occupying Gaza, as recognizing Palestinian statehood remains a struggle and free speech in America remains stifled.
Takeaways:
- Israel’s cruelty expands into weaponized starvation, as weapons kills persist.
- Despite the above, Netanyahu believes it to be right to occupy the ravaged Gaza, while he expands injustice into the West Bank.
- While the rest of the world calls out Israel, Trump remains complicit with Israel.
As your constituents we urge you to:
- Call for action that safely feeds Gaza.
- Denounce Israel’s invasion in Gaza.
- Join the world in calling for the recognition of Palestine.
- Divest from Israel-supporting businesses.
The Next Phase
- Statistics, hunger, and occupation
- As it expands its tyranny, Israel continues to massacre:
- 8/3 – >62 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/4 – >40 Gazans killed, many near aid. [Reuters]
- 8/6 – >51 Gazans killed, many by an overturned aid truck. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/8 – UNRWA report: [UNRWA]
- 1.9M Gazans displaced since Oct 7th
- >767,800 Gazans displaced since March 18th
- >61,158 Gazans killed since Oct 7th
- 995 West Bank Palestinians killed since Oct 7th, 167 in 2025.
- 8/4 – All Gazan children under 5 are at risk of life-threatening malnourishment. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/5 – ~28 Gazan children are being killed daily. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/6 – Netanyahu confirmed he intends to fully occupy Gaza. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/7 – ~12,000 children aged under 5 in Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition. [Haaretz]
- 8/7 – Palestinian national football player Suleiman al-Obeid has been killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza near aid. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/9 – Starvation death toll rises to 217. [Al Jazeera]
- As it expands its tyranny, Israel continues to massacre:
- West Bank
- 8/3 – Israel is carrying out more demolitions in the West Bank this year than any other year. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/3 – Israeli settler Yinon Levi, who shot and killed Palestinian Awdah Hathaleen, was just released. [Haaretz]
- 8/6 – Israel is expanding illegal settlements in the West Bank. [Al Jazeera]
- Israel
- 8/5 – Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a Jewish prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque, breaking a 1967 agreement. [Reuters]
- 8/6 – Israel’s military chief pushed back against Netanyahu’s plans to seize areas of Gaza. [Reuters]
- 8/7 – Families of Israeli captives in Gaza sailed towards the Gaza coast to warn against a ground invasion of the region. [Haaretz]
- 8/7 – Israel’s security cabinet gave the green light to take over Gaza City. [ABC]
Israel’s security cabinet gave the green light to take over Gaza City. [ABC]
Worldwide Pushback
- Staunch warnings against Israel’s threat
- 8/4 – Canada dropped aid through airdrops into Gaza. [Reuters]
- 8/5 – Norway said it reviewed its sovereign wealth fund to ensure illegal Israeli companies were excluded from investments. [Reuters]
- 8/5 – Russia lodged a formal protest to Israel after an attack on a Russian diplomatic vehicle near Jerusalem. [Reuters]
- 8/5 – Australia: “there is a risk there will be no Palestine left to recognize.” [Al Jazeera]
- 8/6 – Slovenia banned imports of goods produced on Israeli-occupied territories, and approved an aid package for Gazans. [Reuters]
- 8/7 – EU: Displacement and killing in Gaza very much looks like a genocide. [Reuters]
- 8/7 – Doctors Without Borders called for an immediate end to Israel’s militarized food distribution scheme in Gaza. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/7 – Majority in Brazil, Colombia, Greece, South Africa, and Spain believe weapons companies should limit trade with Israel. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/8 – British Prime Minister said Israel’s decision to take control of Gaza City was wrong. [Reuters]
- 8/8 – Germany to suspend exports of weaponry that could be used in Gaza because of Israel’s plan of escalation. [AP]
- 8/8 – UN Secretery-General: Israel’s escalation could lead to more “forced displacement, killings, and massive destruction”. [UN]
- 8/9 – Russia condemns Israel’s plan to expand military operations in Gaza. [Reuters]
- 8/9 – Palestinian foreign affairs minister: the world must “shoulder its responsibility” and take action against Israel’s genocide. [Al Jazeera]
Several international groups and countries have severely criticized Israel’s Gaza operation, as some airdrop aid. [Reuters]
America’s Zionist Stranglehold
- Trump’s complicity with Israel’s crimes, and Zionist grip on American speech
- 8/4 – More than a dozen House Democrats signed a letter pressing Trump to recognize Palestinian statehood. [Reuters]
- 8/4 – Trump reversed course on requiring US cities and states to rebuke boycotts of Israeli companies in order to receive disaster funds. [Reuters]
- 8/4 – >600 former Israeli senior officials urged Trump to end Israel’s war on Gaza. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/4 – Mike Johnson, House Speaker, visited an illegal settlement in the West Bank, a violation of international law. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/6 – Trump says it’s “up to Israel” whether to occupy Gaza. We need politicians to pressure Trump to support the Gazans. [MSNBC]
- 8/6 – Stanford University’s newspaper sued Trump, arguing his administration violated free-speech rights. [NBC]
- 8/6 – Trump froze $584M in funding for UCLA after reprimanding it for pro-Palestinian protests. [AP]
- 8/7 – CAIR has sent a letter to Trump urging investigation of US citizen Khamis Ayyad’s murder in the West Bank. [Al Jazeera]
- 8/8 – AIPAC accused Marjorie Taylor Greene of betraying “American values” by accusing Israel of genocide. [NYT]
- 8/8 – JD Vance: “No plans” to recognize Palestinian statehood. We need politicians to oppose this. [AP]
JD Vance said there are “no plans” to recognize Palestinian statehood. [AP]