War – It's Going Down

The war in Ukraine is often, like many conflicts, discussed through the lens of foreign policy and the interests of these entities that we call states. This is not the framing that we simply inherit from media, it is one that the Left globally has embraced just as thoroughly as liberals and conservatives. Discussions become echoes of the Cold War, where massive power blocks collide in some geopolitical game involving huge historical projects. There are myriad issues with this framing, but we will focus on just one in this episode. This framing has a tragic side effect, it has the tendency to disappear people on the ground living through conflict, and often abandoning them as a result. It has led some on the Left to support the worst authoritarians, right-wing religious extremists, and genocidaires, all while abandoning people fighting authoritarianism repeatedly, merely because the states that supports the regime they are fighting are “anti-American”. We want to have a different discussion about war, and about Ukraine; a discussion about what it means to be an anarchist living in a place actively under invasion, facing existential threats, and the threat of immanent arrest or death if you lose. We are joined by Anton from the Solidarity Collectives to talk about the war, how life continues in a warzone, what the war has meant for the anarchist community in Ukraine and the wider region, and how a movement can not just survive, but also actively engage in the situation around them, against all odds. You can follow the work of Solidarity Collectives here: https://www.solidaritycollectives.org/en/ https://bsky.app/profile/solcolua.bsky.social Photo by Jade Koroliuk on Unsplash

As we speak, up to two million people in Gaza are being threatened with starvation, as the state of Israel, backed by the US government, continues to blockade humanitarian aid into Gaza, attack basic infrastructure, and brutally murder Palestinians at aid distribution sites. Moreover, Israeli officials continue to push for open ethnic-cleansing of Palestine, all with continued military support from the United States. As Al-Jazeera reported: Tonnes of food, clean water, medical supplies and other items sit untouched just outside Gaza as humanitarian organisations are blocked from accessing or delivering them by Israel. Ten new deaths linked to famine and malnutrition have been recorded during the past 24 hours by hospitals in the Gaza Strip, according to the Ministry of Health. The grim count brings the total number of people starved to death in the territory to 111, the ministry s statement said. In recent weeks, more than 1,000 desperate people have been killed trying to reach food, mostly in mass shootings by Israeli soldiers posted near GHF distribution centres, according to the United Nations Israel, which controls all supplies, food, medicine and fuel entering Gaza, has imposed a punishing blockade for months Medical personnel and journalists continue to work under intensive duress, worsened by their own hunger. Genocide and forced starvation of Palestinians is happening right before our eyes. As Mondoweiss recently reported, Among the most affected are newborn children who have no means of feeding. Mothers are unable to breastfeed due to malnutrition, which makes it difficult to produce milk. The Guardian also noted, Rates of severe malnutrition among children aged under five at M decins Sans Fronti res Gaza City clinic have tripled in the last two weeks, the charity has said, as starvation in the Israeli-besieged strip worsens. Watching the news coming out of Gaza can make many feel powerless, but we all can help rally in solidarity with groups on the ground who are working non-stop to create life-lines with those living through the brutal occupation. Listed below, are direct ways that people can help mutual aid groups on the ground both by donating to them and spreading the word about the work that they are doing. Donations and support are direct ways we can help those attempting to survive an active genocide. Mutual aid groups listed below also are posting constant updates about their work, showcasing how solidarity from across the world manifests in the creation of life-saving infrastructure and the meeting of direct needs. Our hope is that people will take the initiative and organize benefit events and show solidarity with these mutual aid projects. By building up our capacity to extent material solidarity, we can all help those directly impacted. The Sanabel Team The Sanabel Team is a Palestinian-led mutual aid team providing support in Gaza since 2018. The group distributes cash aid, cooks hot meals which they distribute daily, brings in water trucks, distributes basic necessities like diapers and formula for infants, and works to provide items like tents and tarps to those displaced by the ongoing occupation. They post constant updates on their work on Instagram and are involved in a wide variety of projects in multiple areas. SOURCE: The Sanabel Team About: This team all started with Osama; an activist from Gaza that began in his small city of Khan Younis, helping families in need. These community-based efforts has expanded since 2018, serving thousands of Palestinians from funding education, feeding many families, and proving necessities over the years. Our mission is to continue providing direct aid that s available on the ground, to families during this time. Funds will go towards necessities like food, water, and building materials for shelter when available. Life rebuilding will be in the next phase. We thank you for your ongoing support friends! Every day we remain steadfast, every action we take is a step towards a brighter future for the families we have been supporting in Gaza since 2018. Together, we create a ripple effect that nourishes not just bodies, but souls. Our commitment to making a difference in our community is unwavering. IG: https://www.instagram.com/thesanabelteam/ Web: https://www.thesanabelteam.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SanabelTeam/ The Sadaqah Team A mutual aid initiative on the ground in Gaza and Lebanon. SOURCE: The Sadaqah Team About: Our initiative depends completely on the generosity of people like you. Every donation we receive helps us reach more communities who urgently need support. The situation in Gaza and Lebanon is heartbreaking. With so little international aid getting through, people are struggling for even the basics. Together, though, we can make a difference, providing some relief and hope in these devastating times. IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.sadaqah.team/ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TharcisZaaruolo Gaza Food Relief Project Mutual aid project organized by two-brothers on the ground in Gaza. IG: https://www.instagram.com/gazafoodreliefproject/ Chuffed: https://chuffed.org/project/4444-gaza-food-relief-project-by-mohammed-ayyad GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Gaza-Food-Relief-Project-By-Mohammed-Ayyad PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=5UM6RDCWQPB44 fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAae0TC6e9cbnonOwV8Hlrq4441-6SWyX7CsImxbQxcoQhv2KQiRR2tSgDCOIsw_aem_zoYSPHJA-GI4UZ8JQ-lSDw Operation Olive Branch Mutual aid initiative supporting communities on the ground. About: Operation Olive Branch is a volunteer-powered grassroots collective effort to connect with and amplify Palestinian voices in an effort to support their critical needs, which include but are not limited to their mutual aid requests. Our solidarity initiative is steered by a diverse core council of global advocates including Palestinian and Jewish voices. We strive to verify the fundraising efforts of families, as well as our medical partners, to best support them to navigate the challenges of social media and fundraising. Please find a list of our verified families and medical aid partners here: Verified Families Mutual Aid We quickly identified over a hundred families who required urgent perinatal care and support during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Faced with malnutrition, lack of food, clean water and limited access to medical support, families are experiencing severe perinatal medical complications. GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/operationolivebranch Gaza Mutual Aid Collective Mutual aid group providing on the ground support in Gaza through hot meals and direct support. SOURCE: GMAC About: GMAC is a grassroots collective committed to monetarily helping the people of Gaza, whose quality of life has been progressively deteriorating for almost two decades by the colonial air, land, and sea blockade and siege by the Zionist occupation. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gazamutualaid/ Web: https://gazamutualaid.substack.com/ Venmo: @/amirqudaih PayPal: [email protected] Thamra Group in Palestine promoting food sovereignty, food distribution, and restoration of the land. About: A Palestinian organization fostering food sovereignty. Working to achieve self-sufficiency and restore our land. We invite you to support a vital agricultural project that is bringing life back to the land, following the destruction of the occupation and the famine its people are enduring. IG: https://www.instagram.com/thamra_org GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/771b0495 The Sameer Project Mutual aid project running various campaigns to provide direct support and aid in Gaza. SOURCE: The Sameer Project About: Donations based initiative, led by Palestinians in the diaspora, working to supply aid to displaced families in Gaza. IG: https://www.instagram.com/thesameerproject LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject Butterfly Effect Project Group that verifies mutual aid requests on the ground in Gaza, and links those hoping to donate to those in need of support. About: We are an international team of dedicated volunteers united by a common mission: to amplify the voices of the oppressed and support war victims, with a particular focus on the people of Palestine Gaza. Our primary mission is to share their stories on social media, ensuring their experiences and struggles reach a global audience. In addition to amplifying voices, we provide immediate on-the-ground relief, meeting the urgent needs of countless families affected by conflict. Our long-term commitment extends to advocacy and campaigning, where we work tirelessly to raise awareness and drive meaningful change. Through our efforts, we aim to foster a more just and equitable world, giving a platform to those who have been marginalised and silenced. IG: https://www.instagram.com/butterflyeffect.project/ Web: https://www.thebutterflyeffectproject.org/ List of Verified Campaigns: https://www.thebutterflyeffectproject.org/verified-campaigns2

In this conversation, we speak with two recent International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteers about their experiences accompanying Palestinians in the West Bank. International Solidarity Movement is an initiative based in Palestine that enables international volunteers to physically accompany Palestinians facing harassment and attacks from the Israeli occupation. We discuss what everyday resistance — both large and small — looks like for Palestinians in the West Bank. Among many other topics, we explore the ways that ISM volunteers move between what they call “protective presence” and “solidarity” in their accompaniment work, how their experience has shifted or impacted the way they understand anti-colonial resistance more broadly, and what they see on the horizon for Palestine. This interview was originally conducted immediately following the agreement to a ceasefire between the IDF and Hamas, on January 16th, 2025. Israel violated the ceasefire numerous times from January 19th to March 17th, killing at least 170 people in Gaza, averaging nearly three deaths a day. On March 18th, Israel officially broke the ceasefire agreement, and continues to bombard Gaza with air strikes and ground offensives. Gaza is on the verge of famine and a total collapse of healthcare infrastructure, as Israel continues to bar the entry of much-needed medical supplies, fuel, and other humanitarian aid including food and clean water to the region. As of May 19th, 2025, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 53,339 people — including at least 17,400 children — have been confirmed killed in Gaza. Last month, we published an interview with a friend and comrade of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old who was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces on September 6th, 2024, while accompanying Palestinians in the West Bank as an ISM volunteer. That interview, called The Murder of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and the Future of International Solidarity is available here. For more information about the work of ISM, visit their website at: https://palsolidarity.org/ Photo via International Solidarity Movement on Instagram