A message from Standing Together: “Let’s grieve — then fight our future here”
A message from the movement to supporters.
Last night, four killed hostages – Shlomo Mantzur, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, and Itzhak Elgarat – were returned to Israel. Our hearts are shattered all over again as we grieve with their families who prepare to bury their loved ones after tirelessly fighting for their release. At the same time, over 600 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons. Israeli authorities have even admitted that over 400 of them were not involved in hostilities, and dozens are women and children.
This is a tender moment for all of us across this land. As we watched the funerals of Oded Lifshitz and Shiri Bibas along with her two children Ariel and Kfir, we were filled with grief. Now, four more hostages have returned in coffins. But we must turn this pain into action to resist the hopeless vision of our extremist government. As we mark the end of the first stage of the deal, Netanyahu and the far right have been working nonstop to sabotage it. But we’re also working nonstop, and we won’t settle for less than a complete deal to release the living hostages and end the war on Gaza for good.
This week, Israeli tanks moved across the West Bank for the first time since the second intifada in a major escalation. Defense Minister Katz has said that 40,000 Palestinians were “evacuated” from their homes and that they would not be allowed to return for at least a year. We must call this what it is: The army is carrying out a policy of ethnic cleansing and expanding its new front in the war. With the war in Gaza paused, they have started it in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur al-Shams. The goal? War for war’s sake. This has nothing to do with our safety and everything to do with extremist and messianic forces making sure they stay in power.
We have been campaigning for a complete ceasefire since this agreement was signed, and we’re more determined than ever to see it progress. A second and third stage would allow more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and ease the suffering of millions of Palestinians still living in tents and unable to rebuild their homes. It would see every hostage returned to their loved ones. And it would let both peoples begin to recover.
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Ramadan Kareem to all of our supporters observing Ramadan! Ahead of this holy month, a time of reflection, compassion and unity for Muslims around the world, we reaffirm our commitment to fight for peace and equality for all. May we see a future in Israel-Palestine where every holiday is a true celebration and every family is able to gather together.
In solidarity,
Standing Together