A woman from Yellowknife is joining people from across the world in marching to Gaza’s border to demand humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.
Amy Lam said she plans to join people from more than 30 countries for the Global March to Gaza.
The march is a self-described “civic, apolitical and independent movement” guided by “justice, human dignity and peace.” Organizers aim to reopen the Rafah crossing – the only border crossing between Egypt and Gaza – and secure a permanent humanitarian corridor.
“It seemed like a meaningful global action,” Lam said of why she decided to join the march.
“I think citizens are just so fed up with grief and so frustrated and so disappointed with our governments and institutions, [they’re] taking action to stop what virtually every human rights organization is calling a genocide,” she continued, adding that countries are not meeting their international legal obligations regarding the crisis in Gaza.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“It’s a united voice from the citizens around the world to let the powers that be know that this is not OK. We demand this stop.”
Lam is an organizer with YK Citizens for Ceasefire, which has held marches and rallies in Yellowknife calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and humanitarian aid for Gaza. The group has also raised funds for Palestinian families with connections to the NWT, including a project to build a community water well in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.
Participants in the Global March to Gaza are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday and travel by bus to the Egyptian city of Al-Arish. From there, marchers plan to walk 48 km to the Rafah crossing over three days to bring attention to the lack of humanitarian aid, including food, getting through to the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza.
“We’re hoping this large-scale action is going to bring enough awareness and urgency to tip governments and institutions to some action,” Lam said, adding she feels “the tide is changing.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“I just really want to highlight the urgency of the situation. We don’t have a lot of time to save two million people.”
Israel blocked all aid from entering Gaza between March 2 and mid-May.
A UN-backed analysis released last month stated the risk of famine in Gaza has increased due to the withholding of humanitarian aid, including food.
While Israel recently began to allow limited aid into Gaza through a new aid system, that system has been criticized by the United Nations and other aid groups who say it is inadequate.
Participants in the Global March to Gaza plan to converge at the Rafah crossing with an aid convoy that departed from Tunisia on Monday.
Multiple news outlets have reported that Israel forces recently seized the Madleen, a ship with activists and a small shipment of humanitarian aid on board that is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which was also headed toward Gaza.
YK Citizens for Ceasefire is planning a solidarity march in Yellowknife on June 15. Further details are expected on the group’s Facebook page later this week.
