Toowoomba vigil for Palestine attracts more than 60 residents, Palestinian residents reveals family toll
A Toowoomba member of the Palestinian community has spoken about the terrifying situation her family lives in. It comes at a vigil calling for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
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Rasha Abualhasan has lost friends to the bombing of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces.
She fears for the safety of her family in the West Bank as the conflict worsens.
“The videos I see every day, people praying for their children they’ve lost,” the Toowoomba member of the Palestinian community said.
“Can you imagine losing your child? Their voices sit in my head.
“I don’t know how we can keep silent.”
The aspiring lawyer is making her voice heard, helping to organise a vigil of more than 60 people at East Creek Park near Toowoomba’s CBD on Saturday afternoon.
The group, covering all demographics and backgrounds, called for the short-term truce between Israel and Hamas to become a permanent ceasefire, as well as an end to the conflict through peaceful negotiations.
Speakers included community members, trade unionists, First Nations people and Islamic Society of Toowoomba president Associate Professor Mainul Islam.
It comes after the Palestinian Authority revealed nearly 15,000 people, including more than 6000 children, had been killed by the IDF in Gaza since Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7.
Israel says 1200 of its citizens have been killed since the conflict began.
The attacks on Gaza, which have seen the equivalent of two nuclear bombs dropped in civilian areas according to Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, has essentially levelled huge parts of the territory.
It is a familiar and horrifying sight for Ms Abualhasan, who survived the Battle of Jenin (her hometown) in the West Bank in 2002.
“We lived through three weeks of hell — there was bombing everywhere,” she said.
“All of it was levelled to the ground, there was nothing.
“I lived through that, but what is happening in Gaza is worse – it’s never happened like this.
“I was waiting for a reaction by Israel (after October 7), and it was worse than I thought.”
While the focus of the conflict remains on the Gaza Strip, tensions have continued to rise in the West Bank between Palestinians and the IDF as well as Israeli nationals living in settlements considered illegal under international law.
Reports suggest more than 3000 people have been arrested in the West Bank and both the IDF and settlers have killed more than 200 Palestinians since October 7.
Ms Abualhasan said the latest escalation showed the dangerous lives her parents and brother had to lead in the area.
“My brother is a truck driver, and he travels around Jenin,” she said.
“Driving around is really risky, because you risk soldiers, Israeli settlers, who are not the nicest.
“It may be that you’re driving safely and someone will try and shoot a gun at you.
“Imagine that you’re driving, and you lost your way, you missed the exit and maybe took a different exit and you arrive in an area for Israeli settlers.”
Without wanting to be drawn into the political situation in Gaza and Israel, Ms Abualhasan described the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza City as “ethnic cleansing” and called for the governments of the world to condemn it.
“There is no one blind now with social media – Gaza has showed what is happening,” she said.
“Civilians are not silent, but governments are — they should call for a stop to the war.”
There are plans for a second protest next weekend in Toowoomba, with the hope of growing numbers.
It comes as more vigils have been held in support of Palestine across Australia, including in Brisbane on Sunday.
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