Petition for Immediate Ceasefire: A Call to Action for Nashville City Council Members
- Target:
- Dear Honorable Members of the Nashville City Council
- Region:
- United States of America
On the 100th day of the war on Gaza, we face escalating violence, unfathomable death and destruction in the Gaza Strip and Israel, with no end in sight. Thousands of people have been killed, injured, displaced, and nearly 136 Israeli citizens remain held hostage, including children and elderly.
According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of January 6th, at least 22,835 Palestinians have been killed and 58,416 Palestinians have been injured since October 7th in Gaza. 70% of those killed are women and children. Up to 1.9 million people, or 85% of the total population in Gaza have lost their homes and have become refugees, sometimes multiple times. 71,000 children under the age of five are suffering from diarrhea due to a lack of potable water, sanitation, food, and collapsed medical facilities. 90% of children under two years of age are consuming only grains or milk, which meets the criteria of “severe food poverty” (UNICEF). The Gaza Strip is facing acute food insecurity Phase 5, which is the Catastrophic threshold, and is approaching the risk of famine.
Since October 11th, the Gaza Strip has been under electricity blackout after Israeli authorities cut off electricity supply. According to World Health Organization (WHO), as of January 3rd, 13 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remains partly functional, and are facing a severe loss of medical staff and physicians, as well as a lack of medical supplies such as anesthesia, antibiotics, pain relief medicines, and fuel, food, and drinking water. 65,000 residential units (OCHA), and nearly 33% of all buildings, have been destroyed (satellite data by Associated Press). 104 schools, 11 mosques, 7 churches, 70 industrial facilities such as sewage pumping stations, wastewater treatment plants, and 49 media offices, have been rendered dysfunctional (OCHA).
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem Area, 315 Palestinians, including 81 children have been killed. In 2023, 507 Palestinians were killed in West Bank in total. From October 7th to January 7th, 4,042 Palestinians, 606 children, have been injured by Israeli forces and settlers. OCHA has recorded 381 cases of Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in between October 7th and January 7th.
We, the undersigned, urgently appeal to your sense of duty, compassion, and commitment to the well-being of Nashvillians and the international community at large. Nashville remains complicit in the genocide, as we face the 100th day of this violent war. As hardworking citizens of this great city, we elected you to this position so that our tax dollars go towards elevating the well-being of Nashville and alleviating its problems, like healthcare access, education, poverty—not supporting a genocide.
We implore you to take immediate action against this unspeakable violence and declare a ceasefire now.
During this ceasefire, we call on all parties to unconditionally:
1. Facilitate the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies, fuel, and the resumption of electricity, water, internet, and telecommunications to Gaza, in addition to safe passage of humanitarian and medical staff
2. Free all civilian hostages, especially Israeli children and elderly kidnapped by Hamas and Palestinian civilians who are kept under administrative detention or imprisoned without charge in the Israeli prison system.
3. Allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN facilities, schools, hospitals, and health facilities in northern Gaza and commit to protect them along with the civilians and staff inside them
4. Allow in construction equipment to rescue the 8,000 people who remain trapped under rubble
5. Rescind orders by the Government of Israel for civilians to depart Gaza and prevent ethnic cleansing
6. Allow patients in critical condition to be medically evacuated for urgent care and allow them back in once they have received the care
7. Urge Israel to provide reparations for the destruction of civil structures, including desalination plants, sewage system, hospitals, refugee camps, solar panels, telecommunications towers, all of which are necessary for a working healthcare infrastructure
By declaring a ceasefire, we send a powerful message that Nashville values the sanctity of life and does not condone genocide.
Use your influence to bring about this crucial change. Let us set an example for other communities by demonstrating that, in the face of adversity, Nashville comes together to prioritize peace and unity for all.
Sincerely,
American Youths for Palestine
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The Petition for Immediate Ceasefire: A Call to Action for Nashville City Council Members petition to Dear Honorable Members of the Nashville City Council was written by AmericanYouthsForPalestine and is in the category Local Government at GoPetition.