IWA ASPAC SIGN ON STATEMENT: On the 2nd year commemoration of the Al-Aqsa Flood

On the second anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood, the International Women’s Alliance - Asia Pacific stands in unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people, especially those in Gaza and West Bank, who in the face of Zionist occupation and U.S.-backed aggression, persist and lead courageous resistance.

Since October 7, 2023, the Zionist settler state, backed by U.S. imperialism, has unleashed irreversible destruction on Gaza and the West Bank. Palestine has turned into a site of the most blatant crimes against humanity and the toll is staggering. Over 65,419 (MoH in Gaza, UN OCHA) Palestinians killed, more than 167,160 injured, and 1.9 million Palestinians forcibly and repeatedly displaced into overcrowded camps, rubbles or the streets (MoH Gaza / UN OCHA / UN RWA). The Israeli military has struck hospitals, schools, and shelters. Starvation is manmade and being weaponized, leaving 28,000 children under 5 years old acutely malnourished and hundreds dead from hunger and disease. Entire communities and shelters are restricted from accessing food, water, and humanitarian aid turning these lifelines into corridors of deaths, with 2,340 civilians killed while seeking assistance at militarized aid sites. 

These are not the unintended consequences of war but deliberate acts of genocide designed to make Gaza and all of Palestine unlivable and to destroy its people.

Among those who endure the catastrophic effects of the genocide, the worst impact falls on Palestinian women. History has shown that sexual violence and gender-based violence go hand in hand with imperialist wars of aggression. In Palestine, it is brandished as a weapon of war, with documented cases of forced public stripping, sexual harassment, rape and genital torture by Israeli security forces during raids and detention. The collapse of maternal and reproductive healthcare systems has left roughly 23,000 pregnant women in Gaza without safe delivery; at least 15 women give birth each week in unsanitary and unsafe conditions without medical assistance. Women shoulder the burden of repeated displacement, survival amidst starvation, disease and trauma while facing increased risks of gender-based violence, exploitation and abuse in militarized shelters and displacement zones. 

The devastation brought by the Israeli state and the U.S. has been laid bare for the world to witness. Yet, Palestinian women remain pillars of resilience. On this day, we pay tribute to the women who have shown unparalleled strength in the face of systematic oppression. Women who have given birth in rubble, who have ensured the sustenance and safety of their families amidst the chaos, women who have stepped into leadership roles within their communities, managing community kitchens, displacement camps and advocating for resources. We also hold in highest regards women leaders at the forefront of the resistance. Their strength as testament to the indestructible spirit of the Palestinian people.

This genocide would not be possible without U.S. imperialism. The U.S. and its allies are not bystanders but partners, financing and arming Israel with weapons of mass destruction under the rhetoric of “human rights”, in the name of “peace and security”, while shielding Israel from accountability. Every child buried, every woman assaulted, every family displaced carries the imprint of U.S. imperialism.

What is happening in Gaza is not an isolated tragedy but part of the broader system of imperialist war and aggression. The same powers that bomb Gaza also expand bases worldwide, wage proxy wars and profit from occupation. To defend the Palestinian people is to fight against militarism, occupation and imperialism.

We call on the world, including women at the forefront of the struggle, to confront the full scope of Zionist and U.S.-backed crimes, and act decisively. We demand the immediate end of the siege. Let humanitarian aid flow freely. Cease the destruction of hospitals, schools, and shelters. Hold all responsible for war crimes, human rights violations and atrocities accountable.

On the 2nd anniversary of the Al-Aqsa flood, we affirm the struggle of the Palestinian women is not theirs alone, it is ours. We stand with Palestinian women, workers, youth, and their families. We stand with all Palestinians resisting occupation and fighting for their right to life, liberty, and dignity. The Al-Aqsa Flood was not a moment but a movement- a declaration that occupation will always be met with resistance. Their courage is our inspiration, and their liberation is our goal.

As women of the world,  the undersigned, we declare: Real peace for women is not found under occupation, siege, or imperialist domination. Real peace is national liberation, sovereignty, and justice.

From the river to the sea Palestine will be free!
Long live the Palestinian resistance!
End U.S. imperialism!

Add your voice by signing and passing along this sign-on statement to your network of advocates for women’s and peoples’ rights.

Signed:

INDIVIDUAL SIGNATORIES

1. Burnad Fathima | Society for Rural Education and Development India
2. Helda Khasmy | Seruni Indonesia
3. Azra Talat Sayeed | Roots for Equity Pakistan
4. Shiela Tebia | GABRIELA Hong Kong
5. Marife Gemino | GABRIELA Hong Kong
6. Annabelle Maregmen | Filguys GABRIELA Hong Kong
7. Ness Gavanzo | GABRIELA Australia
8. Delia Del Rosario | GABRIELA Australia-NSW
9. Eugene Velasco | GABRIELA Aotearoa
10. Tutik Lestari | Indonesian Migrant Workers Union Hong Kong
11. Asih Munfaridah | IMWU Hong Kong
12. Lina Fitriani | IMWU Hong Kong
13. Suratmi Ralis | IMWU Hong Kong
14. Vero Anggoro | IMWU Indonesia
15. Haryati | IMWU Indonesia
16. Suratin | IMWU Indonesia
17. Erni Purnipah | IMWU Indonesia
18. Farwina Faroque | Friends of Palestine Malaysia
19. Robyn Harbison | Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) United States
20. Hessed Torres | Migrante BC Canada
21. Rej Barona | Migrante Hong Kong
22. Lhea Skye Gatchalian | Migrante Pangasinan Hong Kong
23. Julia Mariano | Migrante Taiwan
24. Gilda Banugan | Migrante Taiwan
25. Dolores Balladares | United Filipinos in Hong Kong
26. Mary Ann Quince | Mission MOVERS Hong Kong
27. Tess Aquino | MOVERS Hong Kong
28. Canoy Melesa | Filipino Migrant Domestic Workers Union Hong Kong
29. Rochelle Basco | FMWU Hong Kong
30. Ivan Delfin | KARAMAY ng Migranteng Filipino sa Penang Malaysia
31. Laih Lebios | Likha Filipino Migrants’ Cultural Organization Hong Kong
32. Nick Sarmiento | Action Filthai Thailand
33. Onanong Matkul | Fairamtung Thailand
34. Ma Lindy Paclibar | POWA Hong Kong
35. Jaimee Kleinbichler | Resilience Psychology Aotearoa New Zealand
36. Gwen Williams | Taiwan ROC
37. Elizabeth Lee | MAWO Canada
38. Kahala Johnson | Maui Medic Healers Hui Ko Hawaii Pae Aina
39. Che Cisco Geolingo | Himigrante-TH Philippines
40. Edwin Consador | Himigrante Thailand
41. Joelyn Hilyawan | Cordillera Alliance-HK Hong Kong
42. Yo-Ling Chen | 酷兒翻越 Queer Margins Taiwan
43. Rev. Joram H. Calimutan | PCPR-HK Hong Kong
44. Gail Orduna | People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty Global
45. M. Feliciano | Diaspora Pa'lante Puerto Rico / United States
46. Liza Maza | Makabayan Coalition Philippines
47. Candice Sering | Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns Philippines
48. Tatiana Lukman | Netherlands
49. Coni Ledesma | IWA Europe Netherlands
50. Richard Lobo | Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the Philippines Venezuela
51. Ulla Klötzer | Women for Peace Finland
52. Ludy Guinanan | Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society Hong Kong
53. Hermenia Ysulat | Samahang Migrante Hong Kong
54. Tess Olleta | Mamamayang Liberal Philippines

ORGANIZATIONS

1. Acfil
2. Asosiasi Perempuan Migran Indonesia (APMI) PILAR
3. Filipino Migrant Domestic Workers Union (FMDWU)
4. FMWU (Filipino Migrant Workers Union)
5. FMDWU (Filipino Migrant Domestic Workers Union)
6. GABRIELA Melbourne
7. IMWU (Indonesian Migrant Workers Union)
8. Indonesian Green Party
9. KMPT (Kaagapay ng Migranteng Pilipino sa Thailand)
10. KOBBE PILAR Hong Kong
11. Kolektif Semai / Indonesian Green Party
12. Larosa Arum PILAR Hong Kong
13. Migrante Thailand
14. Mission MOVERS Hong Kong
15. Pinatud a Saleng ti Umili
16. Promotion of Church Peoples' Response (PCPR)
17. Students for Palestine Singapore
18. TransAsia Sisters Association of Taiwan
19. United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-HK)