Standing with children and families in Gaza and around the world

May 2025

For Our Kids is an organization rooted in a spirit of love and protection for children and future generations. As people committed to decolonial climate justice on Turtle Island and around the world, we see the protection of the planet as part of creating a better future for our children, and how we treat each other matters.

We are deeply distressed and heartbroken over the suffering of children and families in conflict zones all over the world. Our hearts are perpetually broken for the children and families of Gaza, where Israel is waging a relentless military campaign and siege on food, water, and medicine that has been condemned as genocidal by leading international human rights organizations, including the International Court of Justice, the UN Special Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, and others. Israel’s actions have already killed or injured more than 50,000 children, and the looming threat of famine threatens the lives of nearly a million more. As a climate justice organization, we also condemn Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s natural environment, which environmental researchers describe as ecocide.

We join the voices of millions of people around the world -- including many families of Israeli hostages -- in demanding an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, and diplomatic solutions toward a just and lasting peace.

The time for words is long past - it is time for immediate, concrete action from the Canadian government to protect all the children and families in the region and beyond. Canada must use all the tools at its disposal to prevent further harm to children and families, including suspending the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, imposing targeted sanctions, divesting from companies and funds complicit in Israeli settler colonialism and illegal settlements, and imposing a comprehensive two-way arms embargo that includes all materials that go through the United States and on to Israel. All levels of government must also respect and uphold the right to dissent, and end the anti-democratic protest bans being used to silence those speaking up in support of Palestinian human rights. We know that our ability to make progress on climate action hinges upon our right to engage in non-violent collective action, and the repression of the movement for Palestinian human rights is a threat to us all.

As James Baldwin said, “The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe…” Let us all gather our courage and use our collective strength to protect all children, everywhere.