What is the People’s Hunger Strike?

The hunger strike is an action in which healthcare workers and community members of conscience will engage in sequential week-long hunger strikes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza (to put pressure on local and national medical associations) to demand an end to the forced starvation and genocide in Gaza.

Who are we?

We are healthcare workers and community members. Some of us have direct connections to Gaza. Some of us take care of refugees from around the world fleeing State violence. Others have studied the history of genocide on the lands we occupy now. Many of us have been organizing against Israel’s genocide for years, while others of us are new to the movement but can no longer stand by as our government continues to use taxpayer money to fund the mass murder and starvation of people in Gaza.

Why a hunger strike? Why now?

As the second year anniversary of Israel’s U.S-backed genocide approaches and the complete blockade to food, medicine and other humanitarian aid continues, the people of Gaza face forced end stage starvation. Our medical colleagues in Gaza are requiring IV fluids to get through the day due to their own malnutrition. Israel has announced a planned invasion of Gaza City and the forced relocation of Palestinians is imminent.

Our colleagues in Palestine are now calling for an international hunger strike as a means of solidarity and a strategy to escalate political pressure to end the genocide. This is a response to that call, before it is too late.

Why should Massachusetts care?

Even before 2023, Massachusetts sent $129,675,320 to Israel every year to fund an apartheid and genocidal state, with annual spending rising to $612,252,169 in 2024 alone. At the same time, 800 people in our country die every day from poverty. Many of our patients here in MA lack access to basic healthcare, and we have already seen forced closure of community hospitals due to lack of funding. The federal government just voted to cut $880 billion dollars from Medicaid. It’s estimated that $1.75 billion will be cut from the Massachusetts healthcare system over the next ten years.

We believe deaths from poverty in the United States are directly related to the deaths from starvation happening in Gaza. The same decision makers who are choosing to fund the murder of children and families are the ones denying lifesaving treatment at home. It’s time to divest from warfare and start investing in healthcare and the needs of Massachusetts’ communities.

Why the healthcare focus?

One of the main strategies of Israel in the ongoing genocide is the deliberate attack and destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system. UN experts have condemned Israeli attacks deliberately targeting Gaza’s healthcare system as gross violations of international law and “medicide”, citing 735 reported attacks on health care facilities and hospitals in Gaza since 7 October 2023. Over 1,500 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, and hundreds more have been arbitrarily detained, tortured, and starved.

As healthcare workers involved in organizing this action, we have pledged to dedicate our lives to the service of humanity, and to have the utmost respect for human life. We as healthcare workers know the effects of starvation and trauma. We also know the treatment: food, clean water, medical care, and the safety of medical professionals is at the heart of providing such care.

What are our demands?

In short, our demands are simple: Stop Israel’s murder & starvation of Palestinians, allow food and medical care to the people of Gaza, and free healthcare workers who have been arbitrarily detained by Israel.

Specifically we demand the following:

1. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey to introduce a Senate version of the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565) to block the Trump administration from delivering major US weapons to Israel–bombs, tank rounds, and artillery shells–which it has used in its mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza.

2. Representative Katherine Clark, Democratic Party Whip, to co-sponsor the Block the Bombs Act

Can I join the strike?

Yes! We are looking for people who are willing to publicly fast for 7 days (with ability to modify based on physical ability). This involves joining us daily 3-5pm outside the federal building in Boston with other supporters to garner attention for our action from the media and ultimately, our elected officials.

If you are interested in fasting with us, please fill out the interest form here and we will be in touch with more information.

How else can people support?

Come out to our launch outside the JFK Federal Building in downtown Boston starting September 4th at 11am, followed by daily standouts M-F from 3-5pm (same place)! Please also see our the Event section above for weekend events. We will be hosting daily events with press conferences, art activities, poetry readings, all in order to highlight our action and the atrocities that are happening every day in Gaza.

If you are interested in helping with practical support during the strike and/or daily events, please fill out our interest form here.

You can also support by the following:

1. Call your local representative and demand they take action to stop US military aid to Israel

2. Write a letter to the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and the American Medical Association. Demand that they issue a statement calling for the end of man-made famine in Gaza, and for the US to stop providing military aid to Israel.
   
   Email the President of MMS, Dr. Olivia Liao, at ooliao@mms.org, or call the MMS at 781-893-4610
   
   Email the President of the AMA, Dr. Bobby Mukkamala at Bobby.Mukkamala@ama-assn.org., or call the AMA at 312-464-4782

3. Donate to Doctors Against Genocide’s ongoing campaigns to support Palestinians on the ground in Gaza

4. Engage in solidarity strikes with us, while donating the unused food/money to local communities

5. Share the People’s Hunger Strike campaign with friends, family, and on social media