Through the Static

by Arin Waller

Seattle residents gathered at Greenlake Park to participate in a small marathon march and fundraiser on July 26 to bring awareness to the genocide in Gaza. The marathon spanned a total of 8 laps around Green Lake that totaled 25 miles, a deliberately set goal, as it is the exact length of the Gaza Strip. Proceeds from this fundraiser went to the Sameer Project—a Palestinian-led charity initiative that provides emergency supplies and shelter to displaced families in Gaza. 

Two tables were laid out along the park’s path, acting as checkpoints and resting areas for racers. The tables were tended by organizers, who accepted donations from passersby and educated people about the dire situation in Gaza. One of the event’s organizers said they were listening to an episode of the podcast, “Millennials Are Killing Capitalism,” that featured employees of the Sameer Project, where they discussed first-hand accounts of the forced starvation imposed by Israel blocking foreign aid to the Strip. 

“I have been seeing headlines about this. I knew there had been a crisis of food and supplies, and clean water… it [is] truly a crisis, and everyone in Gaza [is] facing starvation danger because Israel has been keeping all aid out for months,” the organizer said. “[The podcast] was really hard to listen to, but I was inspired by the person and she was describing not just the hunger but also the things their staff do: she was sharing a story of their staff who are hungry themselves because they are in Gaza. It was really hard to listen to, but it left me feeling like I have to do something, so I reached out to other folks I know who have been active around Palestine.” 

The organizer mentioned a 25-mile march held last October, and said they found it to be an inspiring way to raise awareness about Palestine and to build community. Around that time, pro-Israel rallies were held to commemorate the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack, and the United Nations Special Committee found Israel’s attacks in Gaza as genocidal. 

“There are concerns on a few levels that come to mind because of that. At a human level, I care that this is a big deal and scary for a lot of people who see a need to have Israel to feel safe, and I also worry because there has been repression and persecution of people standing up for Palestine, literally across the world,” the organizer said. 

Last week, British police arrested over 500 Palestinian protestors, many of whom were peacefully sitting and holding signs that said “I support Palestine Action,” which the United Kingdom has classified as a terrorist group after members damaged property,  specifically breaking into an airfield and spray painting two military aircraft.  

“People [are] losing their jobs. People [are] being jailed. People [are] being deported or not let into our country, especially under the new regime,” the Green Lake marathon organizer said. “I do worry about being targeted personally, and it makes me scared about the direction the world is going in.”

Bystanders expressed solidarity with the group at Green Lake, and some joined the march, waving Palestinian flags and holding picket signs objecting to Israel’s inhumane subjugation of the Palestinians in Gaza. Near the end, a grifter began filming the protestors on his phone and followed them while directing Islamophobic remarks at them. Despite this rude and hateful act, many celebrated as they approached the final lap.

To conclude the event, one organizer brought out a pot full of stones and asked the remaining participants to pick a stone and say something they wanted to acknowledge about the genocide before tossing the stone into the kettle. The group also revealed that it had made $750 in donations to the Sameer Project.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since announced plans for a full occupation of Gaza, and its forces murdered five reporters from Al Jazeera on August 10 as they were in a media tent outside of Al-Shifa hospital. 

As world leaders remain inactive, people across the globe are banding together on numerous fronts to lift the siege. Hundreds of boats are to set sail from Spain to Gaza on August 31 under the Global Sumud Flotilla movement. While flotillas have attempted to reach the shores but have been stopped by the Israeli military in the past, Global Sumud Flotilla organizers are hopeful that a massive fleet will break through any Israeli aggression. 

On August 10, Seattle Families 4 Palestine kicked off a nationwide relay fast to draw attention to the forced starvation of Palestinians in Gaza and to call for an arms embargo on Israel. Each team has a fasting commitment of one week before passing the relay to another team. Teams will fast indefinitely until demands are met.