Week 64: No holidays in Gaza as Israel destroys hospital and protests against genocide continue

January 1, 2025
Issue 
How much longer will you let this go on?, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29
鈥楬ow much longer will you let this go on?鈥 Protesters march in Naarm/Melbourne on December 29. Photo: Jordan AK

Protests for Palestine continued in the week between Christmas and New Year. The December 29 protests marked the 64th weekend of continuous actions across Australia.

Leading up to these protests, Israel used remote-controlled vehicles and boxes of explosives to bring the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahiya to ruins. It was the only partially functioning medical facility in northern Gaza.

The Electronic Intifada that the hospital has suffered 鈥渞elentless targeting of medical workers, patients and staff鈥 since early October.

鈥淔or more than 80 days, the hospital鈥檚 director, a pediatrician named Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, has pleaded with the world to stop Israel鈥檚 genocidal attacks on his hospital, his staff and his patients,鈥 the outlet reported.

Democracy Now! on December 27 that 鈥渢he head of Gaza鈥檚 health agency says he鈥檚 lost contact with Kamal Adwan Hospital and at least 50 people have been killed, including five medical staff, in an Israeli airstrike on a building near the hospital in northern Gaza鈥.

Further, 鈥渇ive journalists [were] killed in an Israeli strike near Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat鈥 that same week, according to DN!. The journalists worked for the Al-Quds Today channel and were in a van clearly marked 鈥減ress鈥.

Israeli journalist Gideon Levy told DN! that 鈥渢his mass killing is going on even now when you understand there is no purpose whatsoever except of killing more Palestinians鈥.

The war should have ended a long time ago, he said, and 鈥渢his car of those five journalists is just one example of so many鈥.

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Protesting the murder of children, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29
Protesting the murder of children, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29. Photo: Jordan AK

The Free Palestine Melbourne rally said 鈥渢here are no holidays in Palestine as they endure a brutal Genocide and Apartheid regime鈥.

Speakers in Naarm/Melbourne included from the Parachinar community, Egyptian activist Mohammed Helmy, Lebanese Italian activist Sarah Baarini and Palestinian activist and organiser Tasnim Mahmoud Sammak.

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'Not a target', Gadigal Country/Sydney, December 29
'Not a target', Gadigal Country/Sydney, December 29. Photo: Rozaina Kendrew

Between 500 and 1000 people rallied and marched in Gadigal Country/Sydney on December 29. Rally speakers called for journalists to show solidarity with the hundreds of Palestinian journalists targeted and murdered in the continuing Israeli genocide in Gaza.

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Shell prawns, not Gaza, Muloobinba/Newcastle, December 24
Shell prawns, not Gaza, Muloobinba/Newcastle, December 24. Photo: Niko Leka

Protesters in Muloobimba/Newcastle gathered outside federal ALP member鈥檚 office on Christmas Eve to sing pro-Palestine carols.

They were written by Ceasefire Christmas Carols and Seagreen Singers with a few tweaks to put it into an Australian and more secular context. Speakers included Jane York, from Mums for Palestine Melbourne, and Mark Stevenage, from Palestine Action Group Muloobinba.

Stevenage spoke about how Palestine is the birthplace of Jesus.

鈥淲e celebrate his birth聽鈥 yet we stand by as genocide is happening there,鈥 he said.

A child who was present took the microphone and spoke about how he cried himself to sleep last night, thinking of the children in Palestine who did not know if they would be alive at the end of the next day.

Activist David Whitson, dressed as a prawn, attracted enthusiastic honking by from passing motorists with his message 鈥淪hell prawns not Gaza鈥.

Campaign actions are continuing around the country, including a Gimuy/Cairns on January 3, an Albury/Wodonga on January 5, and a Magan-djin/Brisbane on January 3.

Friends of Palestine WA has also organised a on January 3 to protest the 鈥渇orced evacuation鈥 of the Kamal Adwan hospital.

Weekly rallies in Gadigal Country/Sydney and Naarm/Melbourne continue on Sundays.

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Peter Dutton: 'D for Duplicity', Naarm/Melbourne, December 29
Peter Dutton: 'D for Duplicity', Naarm/Melbourne, December 29. Photo: Jordan AK

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Free Palestine, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29
Free Palestine, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29. Photo: Chloe DS

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Soldiers in the Israeli 'Defence' Force should be held accountable, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29
Soldiers in the Israeli 'Defence' Force should be held accountable, Naarm/Melbourne, December 29. Photo: Jordan AK

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Protest in Naarm/Melbourne, December 29
Protest in Naarm/Melbourne, December 29. Photo: Jordan AK

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Keep talking about Palestine, December 29
Keep talking about Palestine, December 29. Photo: Chloe DS

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