Essential Dissent - Veterans & Allies Fast for Gaza
On May 22nd, 2025, a coalition of military veterans, along with religious and humanitarian organizations, began a 40-day fast for Gaza with a news conference at the “Isaiah Wall” near the United Nations headquarters in New York City, then moving to the U.S. Mission to the UN.
The demands of the fast, which was organized by Veterans For Peace along with 28 co-sponsoring organizations, are Full humanitarian aid to Gaza under UN authority and No more U.S. weapons to Israel.
A representative number of people will fast from May 22 to June 30 in New York, with many others participating around the U.S. and beyond for as many days as they can.
On May 20, UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher said 14,000 babies could die in Gaza within the following 48 hours.
A statement from the fasters condemned the genocide, saying, “We are horrified and outraged that Israel is using starvation as a war tactic in clear violation of international law, and we condemn our government’s complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people.”