Actor Cynthia Nixon joined activists and state legislators outside the White House in a powerful protest against the United States’ support of the ongoing Gaza war. The hunger strike, organized by Palestine solidarity advocates, progressive Jewish groups, and Arab and Palestinian-American organizations, aims to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The five-day hunger strike, which began on Monday, brings attention to the urgent need for an end to the fighting and highlights the devastating toll on innocent civilians.
The activists, along with Nixon, criticized President Joe Biden’s role in supporting the Israeli offensive in Gaza, calling for an immediate halt to the violence. Despite growing demands for a ceasefire from various sectors including activists, artists, politicians, and even staff members working in the US government, Biden has shown unwavering support for Israel. Notably, Biden has pledged over $14 billion in additional US aid to Israel, which activists argue contributes to the Israeli violence.
During the hunger strike, participants highlighted public opinion polls showing that most Americans support a ceasefire. They also emphasized the immense destruction in Gaza, with over 14,800 Palestinians having lost their lives. Experts from the United Nations have warned that the conflict places Palestinians at a grave risk of genocide.
The hunger strikers commend the four-day truce declared by Israel and Hamas last week, and the subsequent extension for two additional days to facilitate the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners. They argue that this demonstrates that diplomacy, rather than bombs, can provide a solution to the crisis in Gaza. However, there are concerns that Israeli leaders have indicated a possible intensification of bombings once the truce expires, and they have warned residents from northern Gaza not to return to their homes.
Cynthia Nixon, best known for her work in the TV series “Sex and the City” and her run in the 2018 New York governor’s race, used her speech at the event to draw attention to the devastating carnage in Gaza. She urged President Biden to empathize with the suffering of innocent civilians, emphasizing that the current ceasefire must continue and be the foundation for negotiating a more permanent peace. Nixon and other hunger strikers implore the US government to stop aiding and abetting the killing and starvation of millions of Palestinians.
Muslim American legislator Wilson-Anton from Biden’s home state of Delaware expressed anxiety about abstaining from food for several days but emphasized that her thoughts are with the people of Gaza who are experiencing a massacre with no end in sight. She criticized the lack of responsiveness from President Biden and congressional members to the majority of Americans who support a permanent ceasefire. Wilson-Anton hopes that the hunger strike will successfully capture the attention of the president and congressional members, urging them to use their privilege and position to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.
Other hunger strikers, including Mamdani and Abdelhamid, emphasized the importance of negotiations and the impact of the conflict on both Palestinians and Arab and Muslim communities in the US. They highlighted the rise in prejudice and hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims as a direct consequence of the dehumanization and normalizing of Palestinian deaths perpetuated by elected officials and representatives.
Sumaya Awad, one of the hunger strikers, spoke as a Palestinian, a New Yorker, an American, and a mother, illustrating the personal connection to the ongoing violence in Gaza. She stressed the complicity of the US government in the violence against Palestinians and emphasized that the conflict has real impacts on the lives of Americans.
The hunger strike outside the White House serves as a powerful demonstration of solidarity with the people of Gaza, demanding an immediate and lasting ceasefire. Activists, celebrities, and state legislators are using their voices and actions to call for an end to the violence and to hold the US government accountable for its role in the ongoing crisis.
