PEN America recognizes the vital role writers play in bearing witness, confronting injustice, and standing in solidarity with those whose rights are under threat. Even amid the horrors of war, and in the face of efforts to dehumanize and divide, writers’ voices can serve as a clarion call, a reminder of our common humanity, and a catalyst for us all to speak out and fight for “the ideal of one humanity living in peace and equality in one world.” That is the principle we are called to champion by the PEN Charter, and that principle is under grave threat in Gaza. PEN America calls for an immediate ceasefire, the urgent resumption of humanitarian aid, return of the remaining hostages held in Gaza, and an end to the war. We call on the U.S. government to immediately cease all transfers of offensive weapons to Israel until such time as the U.S. is confident they will not be used to commit war crimes or gross violations of human rights.
The lives and voices of Palestinian writers, and all civilians in Gaza, hang in the balance. We are horrified to see starvation wielded as a weapon of war, and are calling for urgent action to end the humanitarian crisis and the war. It is our responsibility, as an organization of writers that is committed to human rights and free expression, to speak out unequivocally in defense of their dignity, humanity, and the survival of their culture.
Palestinian civilians in Gaza continue to face grave threats to their most fundamental human rights. The devastating death toll has risen to at least 54,000, including over 13,000 children, and it continues to rise every day. There is a broad and growing consensus that the Israeli government and Israel’s military have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. Several internationally recognized human rights institutions have further concluded that Israeli policies and actions in Gaza have met or could meet the legal threshold for genocide—a determination currently under review by the International Court of Justice. As Israel’s unlawful blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza leads to starvation and the threat of famine, on top of a continued and indiscriminate bombardment of civilian infrastructure, Palestinian writers, alongside all Palestinians in Gaza, face existential threats. Their ability to survive, let alone write, create and share their voices, is all but extinguished. This silencing is the ultimate threat to free expression.
The U.S. government is directly supporting and enabling the Israeli government’s continued military assault on Gaza. This week, the U.S. government vetoed a UN Security Council Resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the distribution of humanitarian aid, a ceasefire, and release of all hostages. Earlier this year, President Trump announced a proposal for the United States to “take over the Gaza Strip,” and forcibly displace its civilian population. In a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu after Trump made his proposal, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel stated that such a policy would constitute forced transfer and ethnic cleansing, and that “those who carry [out those acts] violate international law and bear responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Trump’s proposal was recently endorsed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who identified it as a condition for ending the war. This proposal would constitute an extraordinary violation of Palestinians’ human rights, including their cultural rights, and represents a denial of the cultural and historical contributions that the people of Gaza have made, and will continue to make, to the world, even under the brutal weight of occupation, closure, repression, and war.
The current Israeli military campaign began in response to Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the taking of hostages; human rights institutions have deemed Hamas’s actions on and since October 7 to be war crimes. Today, the war has lasted for 18 months. By December 2024, PEN America had documented the deaths of at least 125 Palestinian cultural figures as a result of Israel’s military campaign. This includes 24 writers, 83 professors, 12 poets, two songwriters, two filmmakers, one playwright, and one translator. These figures reflect not only the human toll of the war, but also its devastating impact on Gaza’s cultural and intellectual life. According to PEN International, this is the deadliest war for writers since World War II.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has documented at least 181 journalists and media workers killed in Gaza and has identified at least 10 cases where evidence suggests journalists have been targeted by the Israeli military; they have also tracked Hamas’s use of threats, intimidation, and violence against journalists in Gaza. With the current restrictions on humanitarian assistance, CPJ has reported on the devastating impact of hunger and starvation on the media in Gaza, calling it a “murder weapon.” On top of these grave dangers, Israeli and Egyptian authorities’ restrictions on international press access to Gaza have limited reporting and visibility on the war and humanitarian crisis.
On June 2, PEN International shared a dire accounting of the situation on the ground and stated: “Testimonies from writers also described the challenges they face amid the persistent threat to their lives. The relentless Israeli military operations, the indiscriminate bombardment of so-called ‘safe zones’ with high explosives, unexploded ordnance, sniper attacks targeting civilians, and the ongoing arbitrary restrictions and ban on humanitarian aid – are a grim, daily reality. All writers who spoke to PEN International have consistently stressed that: ‘there is no place safe in Gaza.’”
PEN America has heard directly from writers and artists in Gaza who have lost their homes and family members, faced displacement and daily hunger, and also lost their own artwork, their community spaces, their ability to continue their creative work. Their stories speak to the devastating loss of Gaza’s cultural heritage. According to a recent comprehensive damage assessment, 226 heritage sites and historical buildings in Gaza have been damaged. Libraries, mosques, and historical and cultural heritage sites have been devastated, and every university in Gaza has been partially or completely destroyed.
PEN America calls for:
- An immediate ceasefire and an end to the war that paves the way for lasting peace
- Israel to immediately allow unfettered access to humanitarian aid in Gaza
- An end to all indiscriminate or targeted attacks against civilians, including writers, artists, and cultural workers, and against civilian property in compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including as required by the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property
- The release of all hostages held by Hamas or other armed groups
- The release of all Palestinians detained by Israel for exercise of their free expression
- Israel and Egypt to ensure unrestricted media access to Gaza for all journalists
- Israel to cease any targeting of journalists and guarantee safety of the press in Gaza
- Hamas to cease intimidation and harassment of journalists and respect press freedom in Gaza
- Accountability for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed by Israel, Hamas, and other armed groups
We call on the U.S. Government to:
- Immediately cease all transfers of offensive weapons to Israel until such time as the U.S. is confident they will not be used to commit war crimes or gross violations of human rights. U.S. law prohibits the U.S. government from providing military assistance to foreign security force units that commit gross violations of human rights.
- Refrain from any actions that would violate the human rights of Palestinians, including by taking “ownership” of Gaza or any other effort that would forcibly displace Palestinians or otherwise deprive them of their human rights, including their cultural rights, and to refrain from any action that would support attempts by the Israeli government to do the same.
We call on the international community to act with urgency to press for all of the above. In addition, we call on donors and governments to take steps to support writers, artists, and cultural workers impacted by the war:
- Provide emergency assistance grants for writers, artists, and cultural workers who are displaced, have lost homes and work, are injured, or who have experienced other hardships related to the war so they are able to meet their basic needs and continue to work.
- Provide support for research, scholarships, and exchange programs for cultural workers and scholars affected by the war. These programs should include support to complete and comply with relevant visa requirements, short-term housing and stipends, opportunities for research, connection with other writers and artists, participation in literary events, and psychosocial support.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], (201) 247-5057