Cage, Smother, Subdue, Repeat: Israel’s Gaza Policy [Human Rights Watch, 2022]
“Until the international community brings sufficient pressure to push Israeli authorities to abandon their longstanding policy to subdue the Palestinians of Gaza, this vicious cycle will continue.” Read More
Still Waters [Gisha, 2022]
“Since May 2021, Israel has delayed and prevented the entry into Gaza of items needed urgently for maintenance and improvement of Gaza’s water and sewage systems, exacerbating the risk of collapse.” Read More
The Gaza Strip and COVID-19: Preparing for the Worst [International Crisis Group, 2020]
“The coronavirus is now present in Gaza, the populous Palestinian enclave blockaded by air, land and sea since 2007. An epidemic would be calamitous. Hamas should tighten public health measures; Israel should loosen restrictions so that medical supplies can enter and afflicted Palestinians can leave.” Read More
US Policy Response to Coronavirus in Gaza [Carnegie Endowment, 2020]
“The Gaza Strip faces a confluence of poor conditions allowing for rapid coronavirus spread. The United States must help prevent a worsened humanitarian catastrophe.” Read More
If the Heart Be Not Callous: On the Shooting of Unarmed Demonstrators in Gaza [B’Tselem, 2018]
“On 30 March 2018, demonstrations were held throughout the Gaza Strip along the fence separating from Israel. That day marked the beginning of a six-week protest that Gazans plan to hold until mid-May, to call for a lifting of the decade-long blockade imposed on the Strip by Israel and for fulfilling Palestinians’ right of return…Since the demonstrations began, the military has killed 32 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, 26 of them demonstrators. More than 1,000 have been injured by live fire.” Read More
Closing In: Life and Death in Gaza’s Access Restricted Areas [Gisha, 2018]
“Contrary to the illusion held by many that Israel’s presence in the Gaza Strip ended with the implementation of the Disengagement Plan in 2005, to this day Israel continues to exercise control over nearly every aspect of life in Gaza, including through its control over movement and access.” Read More
Hand on the Switch: Who’s Responsible for Gaza’s Infrastructure Crisis? [Gisha, 2017]
Gisha’s 2017 report takes an in-depth look at the grim state of Gaza’s electricity, water, sewage and communications infrastructure. The report describes how we got to this point and, for the first time, outlines the responsibility shared among the various actors at play in the Gaza Strip today. The report shares short-, medium- and long-term solutions, culled by experts, to prevent collapse, but, more importantly, to help maintain and develop critical civilian infrastructure. Read More
Farmer uncovers stunning Byzantine-era mosaic in Gaza orchard, CNN, September 21, 2022
Israel’s ‘Operation Breaking Dawn’ killed 49 Palestinians. These are their stories, Tareq S. Hajjaj, Mondoweiss, September 1, 2022
Middle East Christians denounce state-sanctioned violence in Gaza and Jerusalem, Jeff Wright, Mondoweiss, May 28, 2021
Dingell and Pocan call to restore humanitarian aid to Gaza, Hassan Abbas, Arab American News, February 1
The U.N. once predicted Gaza would be ‘uninhabitable’ by 2020. Two million people still live there, Washington Post, January 2, 2020
Episcopal Church joins call for end to Gaza violence and measures to protect Palestinians, Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg, Episcopal News Service, April 12, 2018
The Christian Community in Gaza: Faith Under Pressure, Just World Educational, August 3, 2017
Life Inside the Gaza Blockade, Sojourners, July 2017
Lights for Gaza & the Darkness of Lent, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Huffington Post, March 22, 2017
CMEP calls on the US government to work to preserve the ceasefire and to insist Israel ends its 15- year blockade of Gaza, an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe, and an act of collective punishment that has turned Gaza into the world’s largest open-air prison. The U.S. must stop enabling Israeli impunity in violating human rights and humanitarian law, and instead, work toward a comprehensive and enduring end to the conflict that will result in human rights and equality for all Israelis and Palestinians. Read More
February-March 2022: Gaza 101 Mini Course with American Friends of Combatants for Peace
Gaza Amendment Coalition letter to U.S. Senators supporting a proposal requiring a report on the humanitarian impact of severe restrictions on movement, access, and goods in and out of Gaza [8/15/2021]
A large coalition of groups including CMEP wrote to members of the U.S. Senate urging them to support an amendment, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require a report on the humanitarian impact of severe restrictions on movement, access, and goods in and out of Gaza. Read More
April 2021: Peacemakers Working in Gaza
Watch CMEP’s April 2021 webinar featuring local organizations working in Gaza. Beth Oppenheim, the Director of International Relations at Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, and Bassam Nasser, the Head of Office in Gaza for Catholic Relief Services, speak about their work and experiences as humanitarian workers and human rights advocates dedicated to serving the people of Gaza. Facilitating this discussion is Craig Swandby, a Senior Policy and Legislative Specialist at Catholic Relief Services. Watch
Additional Resources
Lights for Gaza Campaign [2017]
During Spring 2017 CMEP partnered with Rebuilding Alliance to send solar powered Luci Lights into Gaza. Individuals like you raised enough funds to send 570 Luci Lights to people in Gaza. Thank you to everyone who participated!! Learn more here.
Background: Infrastructure Crisis in Gaza [2017]
During the 2014 Gaza War, the main power plant in Gaza was damaged severely. Since then, the infrastructure crisis has grown exponentially. Exacerbated by the difficulty in purchasing Diesel due to a financial conflict between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, Gazans are impacted in three crucial areas, energy, water and communications, which stunts any hope for stability. Currently, Gazans typically only have electricity for 3-4 hours per day, leaving them in darkness for about 21 hours. Continue Reading
Gaza: Working Toward a Better Future [07/24/2017]
Gaza Field Manager for Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Bassam Nasser, speaks with CMEP’s Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, Kyle Cristofalo, about CRS’ work in Gaza providing emergency relief to the most vulnerable. Nasser also discusses his hope for a better future and steps to take to help move toward a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Watch
Growing Up In Gaza [07/18/2017]
Fulbright Scholar Oday Abdaljawwad speaks with CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon about growing up in Gaza and the unique challenges the ongoing humanitarian crisis places on children. Abdaljawwad is currently a Development and Advocacy Intern with CMEP. Watch
Gaza: Searching for Light [03/28/2017]
In 2014 Gaza’s main power plant sustained severe damage as a result of the Gaza War. Three years later the power plant remains mostly inactive. Today, most Gazans live in the dark for as many as 21 hours every day. Learn about the current realities of life in Gaza and where there might be opportunities for hope. Watch
Hand on the Switch and Lights for Gaza [03/09/2017]
Hear Tania Hary, Executive Director of the Israeli human rights organization Gisha, and Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, recently returned from Gaza, engage in a conversation on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Learn about the current realities of Palestinian life in Gaza where most Gazans live in the dark for as many as 21 hours every day. Watch
