On December 31, 2024, it will be 1 year, 2 months, and 24 days since Israel’s genocide began. In solidarity with lesbian sisters around the world, EL*C must once again raise its voice for the Palestinians who survive and resist in Gaza. We are not witnessing just a conflict: we are facing an ongoing genocide —a systematic attempt to erase their existence, their history, and their future. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Israel leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity [1] and a UN special committee report states that “The policies and practices of Israel (…) are consistent with the characteristics of genocide.” [2] 

In light of this evidence, it is imperative for justice to prevail, and for the global community to speak out firmly and unequivocally. Otherwise, silence becomes complicity, contributing to countless deaths, millions of displaced people stripped of their roots, and lives irreparably shattered by such barbarity. 

Amid this relentless occupation, people in Gaza are forced to rebuild their lives repeatedly, striving to protect themselves and their loved ones. Lesbians, especially vulnerable in contexts of authoritarianism, violence, and extreme conservatism, endure multiple forms of oppression: for being women, for defying heteronormative standards, and for being Palestinian in a territory subjected to continuous extermination.  

In this scenario, the work of ASWAT—the first organization for Palestinian lesbians, also known as the Palestinian Feminist Center for Gender and Sexual Freedoms—is remarkable. Rauda Morcos, the human rights lawyer and activist who helped establish ASWAT, expressed it with clarity to LGBTQ Nation: “I said to myself if I were to die achieving my goal and putting the word out that we are equal within our Palestinian community as women, as lesbians, and as queer, then it’s worth it.” [3]  

Today, our Palestinian lesbian sisters continue to survive and resist. We refuse to let their battles, and their stories fade into silence. As this year comes to a close, we remember their names and their voices, not as a mere symbolic act, but as a reaffirmation of their humanity. We honor those who are no longer with us, and we embrace—both with rage and tenderness—those who still stand, who dare to love in the face of horror, those who do not surrender to terror, and, above all, those who cannot withstand the annihilation. 

This remembrance is not simply lamentation; it is a call to resilience and resistance. It affirms that, despite the violence, the Palestinian people—and particularly lesbians—continue to exist, create, and persist. Let it be heard loud and clear: standing with them is standing for justice. It means committing ourselves to denouncing genocide and demanding accountability before international bodies. It means insisting on an end to the occupation, fully recognizing the humanity of the Palestinian nation, and unwavering support for their right to life, memory, freedom, identity, and love. 

By honoring their struggles, naming the injustices they endure, and resisting the forces that seek to erase them, we celebrate the unyielding courage of lesbians in Gaza. To remember is to reject oblivion. To name is to confront silence. To resist is to reclaim dignity and hope. Because as long as even one lesbian sister in the world is not free, none of us will be. 

Notes: 

[1] International Criminal Court. (2024, November 21). Situation in the State of Palestine: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I rejects the State of Israel’s challenges to jurisdiction and issues warrants of arrest for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant [Press release]. https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/situation-state-palestine-icc-pre-trial-chamber-i-rejects-state-israels-challenges 

[2] MEE staff. (2024, November 14). UN committee says Israel’s actions ‘consistent with characteristics of genocide’.Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/un-report-says-israels-actions-consistent-characteristics-genocide 

[3] Toesland, F. (2024, May 6). The Palestinian activists fighting for LGBTQ+ rights against a neverending backdrop of war. LGBTQ Nation. https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/05/the-palestinian-activists-fighting-for-lgbtq-rights-against-a-neverending-backdrop-of-war/