A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle.
by Vee Hua 華婷婷
Israel Begins Offensive on Rafah Despite International Concerns; U.S. State Department Pauses Weapons Shipments
Israel began its offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah on May 7, despite international concerns around a potential humanitarian catastrophe due to the high civilian population in the area. Israel’s war in Gaza began on Oct. 7 following a deadly attack by Hamas that killed an estimated 1,200 Israelis. Over the seven-month period since the start of the war, nearly 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 1 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from throughout the Gaza Strip into Rafah.
For months, Israel has warned of its plans to attack Rafah but has delayed its actions due to strong condemnation from international governments and groups from around the world. Even the United States has warned that an Israeli invasion of Rafah without a “comprehensive” plan for the evacuation of civilians would constitute a “red line” for the administration of President Joe Biden. Out of fear that Israel might potentially move on Rafah, the U.S. paused a significant weapons shipment to Israel last week, in a rare move that frustrated Israeli officials. The U.S. is also expected to release a report today around whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law throughout the war.
On May 6, ahead of the initial airstrikes on Rafah, Israel dropped leaflets, sent text and voice messages, and posted on social media for an estimated 100,000 Palestinians to relocate to an “expanded humanitarian area” that included nearby cities of Khan Younis and al-Mawasi. However, over an estimated 80% of Khan Younis has since been destroyed by Israel, and al-Mawasi is a small and largely uninhabitable desert area.
Israel’s current attack on Rafah began on Tuesday, shortly after Hamas accepted the latest ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, as brokered and moderated by Qatar and Egypt. The deal was immediately rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stated that the incursion on Rafah would proceed, and Israel could not support any ceasefire deal that still left “Hamas intact.”
However, Israel still sent a delegation to Cairo to examine the terms of the proposed ceasefire deal, despite fundamental differences in goals between the two parties. While both groups can agree on the need for a hostage exchange, Hamas wants a temporary ceasefire that would eventually lead to a permanent one; Israel does not want a permanent ceasefire without first accomplishing its “military objectives” of eradicating Hamas and invading Rafah. Both parties are currently continuing ceasefire talks, and the U.S. is hopeful the gaps can be closed.
On Tuesday, Israel took control of the Rafah crossing — previously managed by both Israel and Egypt — and closed it. The entry point has been the primary source of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and a route for emergency evacuations of civilians who can pay to cross the border or are in need of specialized care.
“With [the Rafah] crossing now being closed, our whole humanitarian operation on the ground is compromised,” Ricardo Pires, a spokesman for UNICEF, told The Washington Post. “If the crossing is not urgently reopened, the entire civilian population in Rafah and in the Gaza Strip will be at greater risk of famine, disease, and death.”
Today, Israel announced the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing in central Gaza, but humanitarian groups have said that aid has still not passed through. The Kerem Shalom crossing was temporarily open last week following pressure from the U.S. to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, but an attack from Hamas killed four Israeli soldiers, prompting the crossing to be temporarily closed again.
Public Comment Sought on Lake Washington Boulevard Design Concepts
Seattle Parks & Recreation, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation, is currently seeking public input into a series of design concepts to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety along Lake Washington Boulevard.
The popular roadway has seen more and faster traffic, with the average driver going 10 miles above the posted 25 mph speed limit. “The 85th percentile of vehicle speeds recorded was 34.9 mph, with outlier speeds reaching up to 73.3 mph,” a study of speeds along Lake Washington Boulevard showed.
The public can view information and detailed drawings of proposed changes to Lake Washington Boulevard and give input in a survey. The survey will close Sunday, May 12.
Washington College Grant Offers Additional Fund to FAFSA Students
The Washington College Grant (WA Grant) is a student aid program that supports students who have filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Nearly half of all Washington State families are eligible for the WA Grant, which covers college, career training, and apprenticeships, as well as related education needs, such as books and housing. The program is funded by larger corporations through its business and occupation taxes.
“Unlike other free college programs in the nation, this program doesn’t come with lengthy fine print about who qualifies or doesn’t,” Gov. Jay Inslee said. “We recognize that many students have to juggle a lot in life while they go to school, whether it’s a job, family obligations, health issues, or more. The Washington College Grant provides the most flexibility of any state, which is absolutely crucial for part-time students.”
The amount eligible individuals would receive through the WA Grant would vary based on family size, income, and the cost of the program the student is applying for. For a family of four making $78,500 or less annually, college and career training could be free; for a family of four making up to $120,500, some funds may be provided through the program.
The WA Grant was proposed by Inslee and signed into law in 2019 through the Workforce Education Investment Act. As the Governor’s Office explained, “The act guarantees financial aid for more than 110,000 qualified students in Washington to attend college for free or at a discounted rate. The law also expands the governor’s Career Connect Washington Initiative. It establishes a study-and-work approach so students can get real life work experience and high school or college credit at the same time.”
Those who are eligible for the WA Grant include Washington residents, including undocumented individuals, recent high school graduates and working-age adults, low-to-middle-income families and individuals that sit below the state’s median income, and those who hope to attend an approved certificate program, job training, apprenticeship, or part-time and full-time college.
Eligibility and WA Grant applications can be found via the Washington Student Achievement Council website.
Mayor Bruce Harrell Declares May 7 Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Day
During an annual fundraising luncheon yesterday for the Seattle-based nonprofit StolenYouth, Mayor Bruce Harrell declared May 7 as Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Day in an attempt to build awareness around the number of youth who are sexually trafficked every year. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) defines “human trafficking” as incidents of ongoing exploitation where individuals use “violence, deception, or threats of force to coerce another person to provide labor or commercial sex, and to prevent that person from leaving the situation,” or “when a person recruits, harbors, transports, providers or obtain another person knowing that force, fraud or coercion will be used to exploit the other person for labor or commercial sex.”
The Pacific Northwest has long been recognized as an area of high sex trafficking due to its proximity to ports and major cross-country thoroughfares, such as I-5 and I-90. According to StolenYouth, at least 500 children and youth under the age of 24 are trafficked each year in Seattle alone. The organization aims to end child sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of youth statewide and has concluded that 56% of youth trafficked are children of color, while 73% of buyers are white. Data analyzed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO) and Dr. Debra Boyer between 2008 and 2019 have reinforced the same conclusions.
In addition to in-person incidents of sex and child trafficking, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also estimated that at least 500,000 sexual predators are active online every day. In its analyses of practices known as “grooming,” the FBI believe that over half of the victims of online sexual exploitation are young teens, between the ages of 12 and 15.
The DOH offers resources on its website to help concerned parties identify and respond to victims of commercial exploitation of children as well as best practices to combat human trafficking. Those who suspect human trafficking or require resources can text “HUMAN” to 206-448-4545. Washington State also has a statewide Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People Alert System and an Amber Alert System for abducted youth.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a co-chair of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. Learn more about them at linktr.ee/hellomynameisvee.
📸 Featured Image: Palestinians fleeing Rafah as Israeli forces launch a ground and air operation in the eastern part of the southern Gaza city, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on May 8, 2024. (Photo: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via AP)
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