We, the undersigned, are residents of West Michigan. We are writing about the humanitarian catastrophes unfolding in Gaza and ask you to call for a complete and permanent Ceasefire. We are horrified and outraged by the devastation caused by Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza as well as the collective punishment imposed on its civilians by denying them the basic necessities of life, including water, food, electricity, and medical supplies.

Presently (as of November 25), the number of civilians killed is over 14,800 (and increasing daily) and over 30,000 more have been injured. Two thirds of those who have died are women and children. Civilians in Gaza are not only facing death by the carpet bombing that Israel is committing, using American weapons, but also facing death through hunger, dehydration, and lack of medical care. Israel has been deliberately starving civilians by unlawfully denying and delaying humanitarian access in Gaza as a warfare tactic, which is against international human rights laws.

Aside from bombing neighborhoods, Israel has targeted hospitals, refugee camps, and schools.

While 500 aid trucks normally enter Gaza on a daily basis, for 44 days (as of Nov. 20th) less than 1400 trucks were allowed to enter Gaza; over a thousand aid trucks are needed daily to meet the needs of Gazan civilians in this crisis. Water is getting extremely scarce, and people are drinking salty contaminated seawater to survive. This is not to mention the new diseases that are emerging as people are being exposed to sewage and decomposing bodies.

The U.S. is complicit in this genocide by actively funding it. The U.S. sends at least $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel annually, and recently the House approved an additional $14.3 billion. These funds are badly needed in our own communities to support critical programs, such as healthcare, education, and housing for low-income families. Because the U.S. is Israel’s primary political and economic supporter internationally, it is imperative upon the U.S. to urge Israel to act in accordance with international humanitarian law. The recent temporary ceasefire provides hope that reaching a permanent ceasefire can be achieved through negotiation and diplomacy, rather than military aggression. We urge you to add your name to the list of 43 elected U.S. officials who have called for a permanent Ceasefire. We also ask you to vote against any current or future military aid to Israel.