Derry participates in all Ireland ‘Hunger for Justice: Gaza’ 24-hour fast

A Hunger for Justice: Gaza 24-hour fast has taken place across Ireland to “highlight the humanitarian catastrophe being visited upon innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza” 

Supported locally by Bloody Sunday Trust and Derry Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the fast was organised by Nenagh Friends of Palestine, with Cloughjordan Palestine Justice and the North Tipperary branch of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Having assembled at Free Derry Corner at noon on Thursday, the Derry fast participants made their way to the nearby Hunger Strike Memorial.

To date, the online Hunger for Justice: Gaza fundraiser has received €90,273 in donations towards the charity UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) for Palestine refugees in the Near East, and local initiatives to send aid directly to Gaza. 

Speaking at the Memorial, former Hunger Striker and Sinn Féin MLA, Raymond McCartney, described the event as a “very important and significant initiative” by Nenagh Friends of Palestine and Bloody Sunday Trust.

My @DerryNow piece on Thursday's (December 12) #HungerForJusticePalestine 24 hour fast, in the city, in support of the people of Palestine and @UNRWA.

& ✍️@DerryNow pic.twitter.com/8duIa3ZYyD

— Catherine McGinty (@CathMcGin_Tea) December 12, 2024

He added: “I think it is very important people take every opportunity that presents itself to ensure the people in Gaza will know the rest of the world isn’t standing idly by as what unfolds in front of us every day still continues. 

“I think the importance of the Hunger for Justice resonates with Irish Republicans, in particular, because we know, down through the decades, how we used hunger strike as a means to defend the integrity of our struggle. 

“I wasn’t aware that the Nenagh Friends of Palestine have an ongoing fast, a different person every day, until Jackie McMullan, Laurence McKeown, Neil Gray and John Pickering volunteered to do it and then came up with this suggestion: there should be a mass fast today for 24 hours.

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“It is great to see so many people from Derry involved and so many people throughout Ireland and beyond. Sometimes people may think, ‘a small gesture, what does it mean?’ but we have seen how all the small gestures have added together. People have confronted governments. We now have a situation, perhaps for the first time, where the Palestinian people have Netanyahu in front of the international court, indicted as a war criminal. 

“We have to keep up the pressure and make sure  people don’t switch off, which would be very, very easy because, if it’s not on the news, sometimes we think it is not happening. Gestures like this, us all being here today are good and I commend the people on the fast,” said Mr McCartney.

Daisy Mules, local Sinn Féin activist and INTO member was one of the Derry people taking part in the 24 hour fast.

She reminded the crowd there were more than 1,400 people throughout Ireland taking part in the Hunger for Justice: Gaza 24-hour fast.

Derry participates in all Ireland ‘Hunger for Justice: Gaza’ 24-hour fast.

She added: “It is a collective thing; it brings in our Irish friends and comrades and is all-Ireland.

“The other issue is raising money, so, if anyone puts their photos up on Facebook, there is a GoFundMe link, please put it up and encourage people to donate. 

“All of the money raised is going towards UNRWA and, as you know, the Israelis now have been attacking UNRWA, media wise and every other way, and trying to get it out of Gaza. 

“It is a really important organisation  - the saviour of a whole lot of people who are starving. I thank you so much for coming out today,” said Ms Mules.