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Halt the transfer of 155mm artillery shells to Israel

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    Halt the transfer of 155mm artillery shells to Israel

    Petition to President Biden:
    We urge you to halt the transfer of 155mm artillery shells to Israel.

    Civilian casualties in Gaza grow by the day — with the death toll in Gaza reaching over 10,000. The UN Secretary General said Gaza is becoming a "graveyard for children." Hamas's attack on Israel was deplorable, yet the ongoing response has been disproportionate and there is no clear end in sight. 1

    President Biden can act to reduce the risk of civilian casualties by halting the United States' transfer of 155mm artillery shells to Israel.

    According to OxFam,155mm artillery shells are a weapon of choice for Israel in Gaza. These unguided, explosive shells are loaded with TNT and burst into around 2,000 metal fragments upon impact.2

    In a densely populated urban area like the Gaza Strip, use of these shells would be highly indiscriminate. There are no known scenarios in which 155mm artillery shells could be used in Israel’s ground operation in Gaza in compliance with international humanitarian law.3

    Sign the petition: Urge President Biden to halt the transfer of 155mm artillery shells to Israel.

    On October 18, the Pentagon said the United States plans to supply Israel with tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells.4 This is the last thing the U.S. government should be doing to fuel this conflict.

    The deadly, indiscriminate use of 155mm artillery shells is a huge danger to civilians in Gaza now and in the future. Some shells that fail to explode instead become potentially lethal “duds” that may explode in the future, killing and injuring civilians decades after conflict ends.5

    It’s time for a ceasefire in this war. And while a ceasefire is being negotiated, President Biden must take steps to limit civilian casualties in Gaza. It is extremely likely that U.S. weapons are helping to wage Israel’s bombing campaigns,6 and that must end, especially use of weapons that uniquely threaten civilians now and for decades to come.

    Add your name: Stop the United States transfer of 155mm artillery shells to Israel.

    Sources:

    1. Reuters, “Gaza death toll tops 10,000; UN calls it a children's graveyard," November 6, 2023.
    2. OxFam, “Artillery Shells Transfer,” October 2023.
    3. Ibid.
    4. Ibid.
    5. Ibid.
    6. Time, “What to Know About U.S. Military Support for Israel’s Gaza Offensive," November 3, 2023.

     

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