Don’t Turn Away: From Grief to Action for Gaza

29/08/2025

Frankly, it’s really hard not to look away. The images and reports from Gaza are horrific, and becoming increasingly so. After bombs have killed over 61,000 Palestinians, citizens are now being shot dead while desperately trying to get food. The genocide is no longer only through bombs and bullets – it’s now through starvation. Hospitals are deliberately bombed, their staff murdered as they care for the injured. Aid workers are killed bringing relief. Journalists are targeted and assassinated – as the State of Israel tries to silence the truth.

And yet, the pull to look away is strong. It’s easier to watch nail-biting footy matches on TV, escape into a movie on Netflix, or bury yourself in a book. Even at the rally last Sunday in Melbourne, I found myself turning away from posters of starving children. But I drew strength from health workers in their scrubs raising posters of solidarity, from journalists speaking out against the killing of colleagues, and from the man beside me, marching at his very first rally.

We all cared. And together, our presence mattered. The sheer crowd filling the streets mattered. The roar of thousands chanting for justice mattered. Hearing First Nations leaders link their history with Palestine’s mattered. Together, we named what is happening, shouted it aloud, and refused to look away.

And yes, I’m only one person. So are you. But one voice joined with others becomes a roar. One step becomes a march. One small act of resistance sparks another, and another. To be silent is to be complicit – the Palestinian people cannot afford our silence.

Turn your distress and outrage into action – there are steps we can all take here in Australia to speak up, support, and stand in solidarity, and to contribute to meaningful Gaza crisis action.

I refuse to be silent about what is happening in Gaza – that’s why I say: Not In My Name. Add your voice, take a stand, and make sure the world knows you will not look away.

Find out how to take action with Oxfam Australia:
https://you.oxfam.org.au/gaza-not-in-my-name.html

#Gaza #Palestine #NotInMyName #TakeAction #StandInSolidarity #HumanRights #SocialJustice #Activism