Watermelon Wednesday #11: GHF, Weaponized Aid

“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:

• Nearly 60 killed and almost 300 injured near aid distribution points in Gaza, largely due to Israeli fire, resulting in GHF aid distribution sites shutting down.
• Despite Eid-al-Adha, Israeli strikes continue killing hundreds; over 2,700 children face malnutrition, doctors are donating their own blood, and Israel has employed criminal gangs to work in Gaza.
• Global leaders are calling out Israel’s cruelty and demanding peace in Gaza, even those that have historically been Israel’s supporters, such as Germany.
• The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation appointed a pro-occupation leader, while the U.S. vetoed a U.N. ceasefire that would ensure unrestricted Gaza aid.

Takeaways:

• Even as Israel backs minimal aid in Gaza, its soldiers continue wreaking havoc near and far from distribution sites, even amidst a Muslim holiday.
• The situation has gotten so dire that even some of Israel’s closest supporters have called it out for its crimes.
• Yet, America remains supportive of Israel as it cracks down on pro-Palestinian speech and goes against pro-Palestinian U.N. attempts at peace.

As your constituents we expect you to:

• Ensure public access to food.
• Recognize international law.
• Act with courage towards freedom.

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Deadly Subsidy

• Chaos ensues near aid distribution points, as the U.S.-backed GHF sporadically opens aid distribution in Gaza.
  • Israeli forces repeatedly fired on Palestinians gathering near food distribution sites:
    • 6/1 – >30 killed, ~200 injured. [Al Jazeera]
    • 6/2 – >3 killed, dozens wounded. [Reuters]
    • 6/3 – >27 killed, 90 wounded. [Al Jazeera]
  • 6/5: GHF suspended aid operations following continued Israeli attacks on aid seekers. [Bloomberg]
  • 6/6: >9 Palestinians killed by gunfire and shelling while approaching aid sites. [Al Jazeera]
  • 6/6: 4 Israeli soldiers killed. [Reuters]
• As aid trickles, malnutrition, attacks, and displacement continue, as doctors resort to donating their own blood.
  • 6/4 – Israeli airstrike on a former school killed >10 Palestinians. [Reuters]
  • 6/5–6/7 – Despite Eid-al-Adha, >169 Palestinians killed in widespread Israeli strikes, including 16 in Gaza City “with no warning.” [Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Al Jazeera]
  • 6/5 – Gaza doctors resorted to donating their own blood due to supply shortages. [Reuters]
  • 6/6 – >2,700 children under 5 now suffer from acute malnutrition. [Haaretz]
  • 6/7 – UNRWA reports >640,000 displaced since March 18 and >310 staff members killed. [UNRWA]
• Israeli discontent grows, while Israel’s inhumanity extends to Lebanon and hiring criminals.
  • 6/4 – Polls show Netanyahu’s coalition would lose power if elections were held, largely due to public discontent over the Gaza war. [Reuters]
  • 6/5 – Israel conducted airstrikes on southern Lebanon ahead of Eid-al-Adha. [CBC]
  • 6/5 – Reports reveal Israel has employed criminal armed gangs in Gaza as part of its operations. [BBC]
  • 6/7 – Mass protests in Tel Aviv, with thousands demanding an immediate ceasefire. [Al Jazeera]

Palestinians collect what remains of relief supplies. [Reuters]

Former Allies

• World leaders continue to voice against Israel, even those who have long been supporters.
  • Leaders from Chile, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Germany, and Brazil condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, with calls for more humanitarian aid, accusations of genocide, and pressure for arms restrictions. [Reuters, Reuters, Reuters, Reuters, Al Jazeera]
  • 6/2 – U.N. Secretary-General calls for independent inquiry into mass shooting of Palestinians. [Al Jazeera]
  • 6/3 – U.N.: Willful impediment of food/relief access for civilians in Gaza may constitute a war crime. [Reuters]
  • 6/4 – In Germany, 73% of the public supports tighter arms export controls to Israel. [Reuters]
• Civilians around the world join against genocide.
  • 6/4 – Campaigners protested against Israel’s war in Gaza outside the British Parliament, demanding a full arms embargo. [Al Jazeera]
  • 6/7 – Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Italy denounced Italy’s “complicity” in the war. [AP]

Germany is among the countries that have called against Israel’s actions in Gaza, despite initially being supportive. [Reuters]

Diplomatic Crime

• America’s democracy shows cracks through hypocrisy and support of cruelty in all aspects of diplomacy and politics.
  • 6/3 – The U.S.-backed GHF appointed a chair who had publicly supported a U.S. takeover of Gaza. [Reuters]
  • 6/3 – Former State Dept. spokesperson Matthew Miller stated Israel has “without a doubt” committed war crimes. [Al Jazeera]
  • 6/3 – The current State Dept. spokesperson defended GHF’s deadly aid distribution and shut down further questioning by accusing journalists of haranguing. [Al Jazeera]
  • 6/4 – The U.S. Education Department accused Columbia University of civil rights violations due to pro-Palestinian campus activism. [NBC]
  • 6/4 – The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire and unrestricted aid to Gaza. [UN]
  • 6/5 – The Trump administration sanctioned ICC judges investigating U.S. and Israeli war conduct. [AP]

The U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution for a ceasefire and unrestricted aid into Gaza. [UN]