With cautious optimism and persistent hope, we welcomed the news that a long overdue ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas.
“While this ceasefire cannot bring back the tens of thousands who have died, it is our sincere hope that news is a real and lasting step toward a new future,” FCNL General Secretary Bridget Moix said.
Israel’s security cabinet approved the agreement today, and analysts expect passage in a final full cabinet vote tonight.
If finalized, the agreement will go into effect Sunday, January 19. The first phase includes a 42-day halt in fighting and the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
This agreement is a major step forward for peace. If implemented, it will provide direly needed relief to Palestinians in Gaza and reunite Israeli and Palestinian civilians with their families and communities. We are deeply grateful to all of you who have taken action with us to grow the momentum for peace.
Yet as FCNL’s Hassan El-Tayyab explained, the work is far from over.
“We must secure a permanent ceasefire, ensure the return of all remaining Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners, provide unfettered access to humanitarian aid, and work toward a just and lasting peace for all,” Hassan wrote. “The scale of suffering in Gaza is catastrophic and requires a historic, robust relief and recovery effort.”
Otherwise, “people will continue to die” even if the bombs stop, as Human Rights Watch warned this week.
That’s why we are ramping up our advocacy to push the new Congress to urgently restore U.S. funding for UNRWA – the U.N. aid agency that millions of Palestinians rely on for essential, life-saving services.
Learn more and support our efforts to save UNRWA’s vital humanitarian work.
Elsewhere
Positive Executive Actions in Biden’s Final Days
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden removed Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. As we wrote in a letter to the administration last month, ending this ineffective and cruel policy will not only “alleviate immediate hardships” for Cubans, “but also pave the way for lasting peace, understanding, and shared prosperity.”
The administration extended temporary protections for migrants from Sudan, Ukraine, El Salvador, and Venezuela. This will ensure that nearly a million people are not forced back to their home countries.
Upcoming Immigration Challenges
We have serious challenges ahead in our work for migration justice.
Right now, the 119th Congress is close to passing the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29/S. 5). This bill politicizes a tragic murder. It would require detaining people for alleged crimes before they have had a day in court. This seriously infringes on due process. As Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-7) put it: “It’s all fear mongering about immigrants, not making people safer.”
We also anticipate deeply harmful executive orders from the incoming Trump administration. The president-elect is expected to quickly announce a national emergency to enable a massive increase in detention and deportation, ripping apart families and damaging our communities.
We have plans for approaching these challenges with courage and steadfast commitment to our values We have gathered resources so you can know your rights as an immigrant and prepare your community for mass deportation threats. One action you can do now to help shift the narrative around migration is contributing your story to our project to humanize this deeply politicized issue.
We are holding you, and our country, in the Light in these troubled days.
Upcoming Events
- A new session of Congress brings many opportunities for FCNL’s work. Join us on Jan 28 at 8 p.m. ET to learn about the top issues we willl be mobilizing around in 2025 and how you can be an effective advocate.
- Friends Place is hosting a fly-in advocacy weekend on Feb 22-24 to protect vital investments in clean energy so we can build an Earth restored. Learn more and apply today!
