Join Mayo Palestine Solidarity Campaign in 24-hour fast

CHRISTY Moore, John Spillane, and Mayo's own singer/songwriter, John Hoban, are all supporting Ireland's mass fast for Palestine on Thursday, December 12.

Mayo Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is calling on people in Mayo to get involved with a 24-hour fast on December 12 in solidarity with the ongoing starvation and genocide of the people of Palestine.

The Hunger for Justice Campaign was started by Nenagh IPSC earlier in the year, and now Mayo IPSC, along with other groups and organisations across the island of Ireland, are trying to raise more awareness of the devastation and loss of life in Gaza and also to raise funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians (UNRWRA).

They aim to recruit 1,000 people across Ireland, including Mayo, to commit to taking part in the 24-hour fast.

Kate Donnelly, branch secretary of Mayo IPSC, said: “The loss of life, permanent disability, destruction of civilian infrastructure, including virtually all of the hospitals in Gaza, is indescribable. The most recent figures are over 44,000 people killed, almost 105,000 injured, and more than 10,000 people are missing beneath the rubble, 70% of whom are women and children.This is a conservative estimation as the British medical journal, The Lancet, places the number of people killed by the Israeli Defence Forces at almost 200,000.

“Mayo IPSC will be holding a candlelit vigil on Thursday, December 12, at 5 p.m. (the day of the fast) in Market Square, Castlebar, and we would love as many people as possible to join us there.”

Kate continued: “The majority of the world is demanding a ceasefire and for aid to be sent in immediately to Gaza where people are literally being starved to death by the Israeli Government. There are now arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Israel's Prime Minister and the former Minister of Defence in Israel for their crimes against humanity. This genocide must stop immediately.”

Leo Green, from the national organising committee of Hunger for Justice campaign, said: “This is an opportunity for people in Mayo to do something really positive for the people of Palestine. Ireland has a long and noble history of using hunger to achieve justice, dating back to the Brehon Laws. We, as a nation, also understand how starvation can be used as a weapon of war and we need to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Gaza to show that Irish people care about what they are going through.”

If people want to join in with the 24-hour fast and/or donate to the fundraising event, follow the link below or find the campaign on social media #Hunger For Justice 12.12.24 or by emailing Mayo IPSC on mayo.ipsc@gmail.com.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcPpWaBwYgdJZWo57TZ-bFqeCpdZh5VlJzIoVrmAK-Pxj6kA/viewform