Oakland — American peace group Jewish Voice for Peace expressed outrage and sadness this week at the latest escalation of violence and collective punishment in Gaza and Sderot. JVP condemns violations of the five-month-old joint ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, with Israeli incursions into Gaza resulting in the deaths of 15 Palestinians since November 4. The group also condemned the response of Hamas militants to these incursions and killings — some 120 homemade Qassam rocket and mortar attacks on the people of Sderot and Ashkelon, which have led to some injuries.

“Now the Israeli government has tightened its 17-month blockade of Gaza, barring badly needed food, medical supplies and fuel from an already desperately poor and malnourished 1.5 million Palestinians. Half the population relies on food aid to survive, and the fuel cut-off has shut down Gaza’s only power plant,” a press release said.

“Israel has the right and obligation to defend its citizens from Qassam rockets — life for the residents of Sderot and Ashkelon has been made intolerable by the onslaught of rockets. But Israel’s decades-long practice of disproportionate force and collective punishment is a blatant violation of international law, creates widespread suffering of innocents, and has been proven to be completely ineffective in providing relief to Israelis. The U.S. must cease support for such measures. Only a true end to occupation and collective punishment can bring peace to the region,” it continued.

Condemnation of Israel’s siege of Gaza is widespread and growing. The Independent reports that a leaked Red Cross report about the Israeli blockade of Gaza says “Chronic malnutrition is on a steadily rising trend…”

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency said four days ago it had run out of food for 750,000 Gazans.

Dion Nissenbaum of the McClatchy Newspapers wrote “.. the Israeli government is taking the rare step of barring journalists from going inside to see what’s happening.” “‘We consider it a serious problem for freedom of the press,’ added Steve Gutkin, chairman of the Foreign Press Association. ‘We serve as the window for the world into Gaza.”

The BBC reported: “The UK-based aid agency Oxfam has warned of catastrophe for Gaza and nearby areas of Israel if a truce agreed last June is not maintained. Oxfam called on world leaders to do everything they could to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and urged Israel to resume supplies without delay.”

Founded in 1996, Jewish Voice for Peace is a national grassroots peace organization dedicated to promoting a U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East based on peace, democracy, human rights and respect for international law. JVP has over 23,000 supporters and members with advisory board members including Pulitzer and Tony award winner Tony Kushner, actor Ed Asner, poet Adrienne Rich, historian Howard Zinn, Socar winner Deborah Chasnoff and others.

Meanwhile, from Massiyahu Prison, in Lida, Israel comes a report that three Human Rights Observers (HRO) with the International Solidarity Movement will begin a hunger strike Friday in protest over their illegal detention by Israel. The three HROs, Darlene Wallach of the U.S., Vittorio Arrigoni of Italy, and Andrew Muncie of Scotland, were forcibly abducted by the Israeli Navy on Tuesday, while accompanying unarmed Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

According to Wallach, “We were fishing about 7 miles off the shores of Gaza. The Israeli soldiers came on board the three boats via four Zodiacs. The frogmen came up and over each boat. They used a taser on Vik while he was still on the boat, then tried to push him backwards onto a sharp piece of wood. He jumped into the sea to avoid being hurt more than he already was and was in the water for quite a while. Then they came for me and forced me into the Zodiac at the point of a gun. They kidnapped me and Andrew and Vik and all of the Palestinian fishermen.”

Israel abducted and later released 15 Palestinian fishermen during the incident, and confiscated their fishing boats. The HROs are refusing to be deported, and refusing to eat, until the boats are returned — undamaged — to their rightful owners in Gaza.