“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:
- >140 Gazans killed, >37 since around the ceasefire announcement. Around that time, >36 West Bank Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces and settlers.
- Deported members of the Sumud Flotilla describe torture and denial of food, water, and medicine by Israel while captive.
- Spain imposes a total, permanent embargo of Israel on military equipment, Germany plans to immediately send 29M euros to Gaza.
- While Trump pursues the Nobel Peace Prize for Gaza mediation efforts, a report shows that US backing of >$2B enabled the genocide to begin with.
Takeaways:
- Despite a ceasefire, Israel is still committing violence against Palestinians.
- America should follow other countries in embargoing Israel from military supplies.
- Countries are aiding Gazans by embargoing Israel and sending direct aid.
As your constituents we urge you to:
- Call for a complete and verifiable end to the killing in Gaza.
- Demand immediate penalties for those responsible for war crimes.
- Protect freedom of speech at home.
- Divest from Israel-supporting businesses, and use that money at home.
Red-Painted Ceasefire
- Cautious optimism at a ceasefire, concurrent with violence across Palestine
- >140 Gazans killed by Israel, who simultaneously sits at peace talks:
- 10/7 – >104 Gazans killed since Friday, the day Trump told Israel to halt its bombing. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/8 – >8 Gazans killed in Gaza, 61 injured. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/9 – >29 Gazans killed, despite the ceasefire. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/7 – UNRWA report: [UNRWA]
- 66,148 Gazans killed since Oct 7th
- 1.2M Gazans displaced since March 2025
- 999 West Bank Palestinians killed since Oct 7th
- 10/8 – Israel’s National Security Minister prayed at Al-Aqsa mosque and called on Netanyahu to pursue “complete victory” in Gaza. [Reuters]
- 10/8 – Israel has repeatedly denied permission to transfer incubators from an evacuated hospital in North Gaza. [Reuters]
- 10/8 – Trump says Hamas and Israel have agreed on the first phase of his ceasefire plan. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/10 – Israeli army radio said 11 Hamas prisoners would be released instead of 11 Fatah prisoners as part of the Gaza agreement. [Reuters]
- 10/10 – >36 people, including journalists, injured in attacks by Israeli forces and illegal settlers in the West Bank. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/11 – Tens of thousands of Gazans make their way back to their homes to find them decimated. [Al Jazeera]
- >140 Gazans killed by Israel, who simultaneously sits at peace talks:
Tens of thousands of Gazans make their way north to their demolished homes after the ceasefire. [Al Jazeera]
Torture and Support
- Activists tortured, organizations provide support
- 10/5 – Global Sumud Flotilla activists deported after being denied food, water, and medicine while captive. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/7 – A US citizen detained by Israel on the Flotilla said he and others endured abuse and “psychological torture” in Israeli custody. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/8 – Norwegian Refugee Council: Trump’s plan to increase aid to Gaza will fail unless all aid groups can resume operations. [Reuters]
- 10/8 – Spain’s parliament approved a total arms embargo of Israel, permanently banning sale of weapons, dual-use tech, and military equipment. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/9 – Germany to provide 29M euros in immediate aid to Gaza. [Reuters]
- 10/11 – UN: “It’s like another Nakba.” [Al Jazeera]
Spain enacted a total, permanent arms embargo on Israel. America ought to follow its lead. [Al Jazeera]
Gilded Peacemaking
- Trump’s concurrent support of war and supposed peace
- 10/7 – Brown University: without US backing of >$2B, Israel wouldn’t have been able to sustain its genocide in Gaza, war with Iran, or bombing of Yemen. [Al Jazeera]
- 10/9 – The US will deploy 200 troops to Israel to establish a task force to support stabilization efforts in Gaza, but not troops to Gaza itself. [Reuters]
While Trump pursues the Nobel Peace Prize for Gaza mediation efforts, reports show how his aid to Israel perpetuated the genocide to begin with. [Al Jazeera]