Black Lives Matter Canada (BLMCA) said it is “horrified by the widespread violence, torture, and murder inflicted on innocent civilians across Palestinian land.” .“We also know that the shocking events that have transpired since October 7 are not isolated incidents,” said BLMCA in a Wednesday statement. .Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent scores of soldiers into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented attack during a major Jewish holiday on Saturday, killing hundreds and stunning the country. .READ MORE: Netanyahu declares war on Hamas after Israeli attack kills hundreds.The Israeli government said it was now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to set a new precedent. .Hamas soldiers were fighting gun battles inside several Israeli communities near Gaza several hours after the attack began. Israel’s national rescue service said at the time at least 250 people have been killed and hundreds wounded, making it the deadliest attack in years. .BLMCA went on to say Palestinians have been subject to disproportionate violence for decades. The British began colonizing Palestine in 1920, setting the stage for the Nakba in 1948. .It acknowledged violence within Gaza is no exception to this throughline. Since 2007, Israel has restricted movement in Gaza, making it an open-air prison under military siege. .To draw attention to Palestine, it said Palestinians and allies have attempted a number of strategies to advocate for freedom. It called these strategies “rarely reported on in the Western media and allies’ activities are often met with vitriol in the West, creating a culture of fear around supporting Palestinians.” .The complete siege of water, food, fuel and electricity and the use of white phosphorus munitions violates international law. Israeli state tactics deployed towards Palestine have been met with little to no retribution from the international community. .South African leaders have likened Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to their own history of apartheid. In Africa and across the diaspora, black people have said while the path towards decolonization might seem bleak, struggling towards freedom is critical. .BLMCA called on the Canadian government to denounce Israeli apartheid and international human rights violations, demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, defund its military arms exports to Israel and support Palestinian livelihood. .“From artivist interventions depicting George Floyd in the West Bank, to sharing strategies on responding to tear gas in Ferguson, we know our struggles are interconnected,” it said. .“Black and Palestinian solidarity is the only way forward.”
