This week marked 100 days since the start of the second Trump administration. A lot has happened over that time. Each day brings new attacks on our neighbors, our rights, and our democracy.
Amid all the chaos, it is easy to lose sight of what is happening elsewhere in the world – like in Gaza. We must not forget Gaza and all the people trapped or held hostage there.
The crisis in Gaza has reached a boiling point. May 2 marks two months since the Israeli government reinstated a total blockade on the Gaza Strip, cutting off the flow of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. The human toll is staggering. With more than two million people trapped and starving, Gaza is on the brink of a catastrophic famine that could claim tens of thousands of lives.
This week, we joined in mourning the passing of Pope Francis. We hold those who loved him in the Light. We will miss his witness, but Pope Francis’ enduring legacy as a champion of so many FCNL priority issues will continue to inspire us.
Creation Care
At Friends Committee on National Legislation, we join so many around the globe who are mourning the passing of Pope Francis this week. We hold those who loved him in the Light.
Pope Francis was a champion on many of the issues that drive our work at FCNL. We will miss his witness but are inspired by his prophetic words and actions on so many causes that Quakers hold close.
The recent ceasefire agreement in Gaza was a crucial step toward de-escalation, offering a temporary pause in hostilities. It provided an opportunity for humanitarian relief, the return of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to their homes, and a reduction in regional tensions in the Red Sea and beyond.
As soon as the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire officially ended, Israel moved to block all aid into Gaza as a strategy to pressure Hamas into agreeing to extend the ceasefire’s first phase.
This next week marks the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As President Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue to dismantle federal programs, House Republicans released their budget proposal this week.
A broad coalition of NGOs, led by FCNL and A New Policy, released a statement opposing President Trump’s recent statements that support forced Palestinian displacement leading to the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip.
During a visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, President Donald Trump made appalling comments proposing the ethnic cleansing and U.S. “takeover” of Gaza.
While outlandish, Trump’s comments must be taken seriously. They raise alarming implications – both for Palestinians who are suffering now and for the long-term prospects for a just peace.
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