Light in Gaza Study Guide
The document is a study guide designed to help generate discussions about the blockade of Gaza and the writings included in AFSC's book - Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire. This guide can be used by individuals or groups as you read the book and consider the contributions by the anthology authors.
Download the Study Guide (PDF)
Graphics from Visualizing Palestine
Graphics from Visualizing Palestine pertaining to Gaza. Reposted from visualizingpalestine.org.
The Gaza Blockade
For over 15 years, the people of Gaza have lived under an Israeli-imposed blockade that severely limits travel, trade, and everyday life for its 2 million residents.
Education Under the Blockade
The blockade has had a devastating impact on students of all ages in Gaza. Each year, thousands of college-age students are effectively barred from finishing their education because they are denied permission to leave Gaza to study in the West Bank or elsewhere.
Gaza’s economic crisis
No portion of Gaza’s economy has been left untouched by the blockade.
Restriction of movement
Israel has controlled the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza for decades, but since the imposition of the blockade in 2006, restrictions have been severely tightened.
The Israeli-controlled Erez Crossing, located on the northern edge of the Israeli-built wall around Gaza, is the only crossing through which civilians can travel between Gaza and Israel. At the start of the Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising, in 2000, around 26,000 people were allowed to leave Gaza each day via the Erez crossing.
The Gaza Housing and Building Crisis
Faced with rapid population growth and approximately 50% of its population under 18 years of age, Gaza is in constant need of new housing. But since imposing the blockade in 2006, Israel has blocked the importation of materials needed to construct homes, creating a housing and building crisis.
End the blockade on Gaza
Action is needed to end the Israeli military blockade of Gaza.
Tell Congress: No more military financing for Israel
Every year, the United States provides more than $3.3 billion in military financing to Israel—more than all other countries combined.
Help buy school supplies for children in Gaza
Give today to help families living in Gaza meet back-to-school needs.
Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire
AFSCs new anthology, Light in Gaza, imagines the future of Gaza beyond the cruelties of occupation and Apartheid.
Participate in the Gaza Pinwheel Project
Join AFSC in memorializing those killed in Gaza during the ongoing attacks by Israel while also demanding change.
U.S. corporations complicit in military attacks on Gaza
The following is a list of corporations complicit in the May 2021 attacks on Gaza. If you are interested in organizing economic activism campaigns in response to the attacks, these are companies to target.
Tell Congress: Call for an immediate stop to attacks on Gaza
Join us in demanding that your representatives in Congress take immediate action to end Israel's attacks on Gaza and work toward a just and sustainable peace.
Podcast: #FreePalestine (featuring Jennifer Bing & Jehad Abusalim)
#Let’sTalkAboutTheHashtag Episode 5, featuring Jennifer Bing & Jehad Abusalim
By WUSC at Ontario Tech. A monthly series where the WUSC Local Committee at OTU discuss important hashtags and how they relate to WUSC's work!
Webinar Recording in Solidarity with the Palestinian People
On November 29, the U.N. International Day in Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we hosted an interfaith service organized by AFSC and the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East policy. People of all faith traditions joined from all across the country to hear words of inspiration, music and prayers to nurture hope in solidarity with Palestine.
Support AFSC's COVID-19 Response in Palestine
The COVID-19 virus has begun to spread in Palestine and poses a significant risk to Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
Life Under Blockade: A collection of essays
The booklet is a collection of essays written by young people in Gaza as part of an AFSC essay contest. Use the study guide to generate discussions about the blockade on Gaza and the youth essays you have read.
- Download the essays (PDF)
- Download the study guide (PDF)
Send Love to Gaza
Download the sign and share it online on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Don't forget to use #ValentineToGaza and #GazaUnlocked.
Lift Up Voices From Gaza
We need your help to further their message.
AFSC has partnered with an organization called Al-Wedad in Gaza, who have organized a group of young Gazans to share tweets, videos, memes, gifs and other messages over social media between 12:15pm and 2:15pm EST on Tuesday, July 18. Their goal is to give voice to people in Gaza, focusing on the impacts of the blockade on everyday life. Our goal is to help those messages be heard here in the U.S.
Health care jeopardized in Gaza
The fuel and electricity crisis in Gaza impacts every individual and service provider in Gaza, but none more vital than the health sector.
Why Gaza can't count on electricity
In June 2006, following the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas, the Israeli military bombed Gaza’s only power plant, destroying its six transformers. It took five months for the plant to resume partial production, and today the power plant still can’t function at full capacity.