• Meet at The East Leavenworth Road Public Boat Launch, 12pm. Saturday, August 2nd.
• Bring your floating gear and leave your car at the Boat Launch.
• We will take a free shuttle to the Bridge River Access Park (Icicle Bridge).
• The free shuttle will also transport our floating gear.
• We will float from the Icicle Bridge back to the Public Boat Launch.
• About 2 miles. 2-3 hour float. (See map).
• Floaters will need to provide their own floating gear (tube, stand up paddle board, life jacket, water, sunscreen, etc).
• We have a small number of tubes, donated from a local rafting company, for people to use. Thank you Osprey Rafting!
• Message me if you need gear.
• You can also purchase tubes from most major retailers.
• Bring flags, kufiyas, waterproof/ bouyant signs, good vibes!

DONATE to Gaza Soup Kitchen.

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The beautiful photos in the banner above were taken by Reuters Photographer Mohammed Salem at the beach in Gaza City, 2013.

Like all of us, Palestinian People in Gaza love the water. However, Palestinians in Gaza are systematically murdered by Israel, for simply stepping foot on the beach or going into the ocean.

Israel not only targets children playing soccer on the beach. Israel’s military occupation and complete siege of the Gaza Strip since 2005, has systematically destroyed Gaza’s fishing industry.

“Gaza was once famous for its fish. Just nine nautical miles off Gaza’s shore, there is a deep channel used by great schools of fish…a natural resource plied for centuries by Palestinian fishing boats…Fishing supported 30,000 people…” (El-Haddad & Schmitt, 2021).

Before the Gaza Genocide began in Ocotober 2023, “the Israel Navy limit(ed) Palestinian fishing boats from anywhere between three and five nautical miles from the coast, depending on the month and the mood, creating a situation that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the lead UN humanitaring body, has referred to as “fishing without water.” (El-Haddad & Schmitt, 2021).

Within the first week of the Gaza Genocide, Israel destroyed nearly 50% of all of vessels docked at the Port of Gaza. “By 10 January 2024, all remaining vessels in the port had been destroyed.”

Long before the Gaza Genocide began, Israel has dreamed of ethnically cleansing Gaza and rendering it uninhabitable.

In Gaza, simply stepping foot onto the beach or swimming in the ocean could lead to murder by Israeli gunboats, tanks, or aerial bombing.

Float for Falastin! acknowledges the privilege we enjoy by being able to float safely on the water. In fact, the privilege of waking up safely in our beds in the morning and drinking clean water are luxuries that have not been enjoyed by Palestinians since long before the Gaza Genocide began.

Float for Falastin! aims to bear witness to the Genocide in Gaza, specifically how the Genocide targets Gaza’s water resources.

Palestine does not need our charity. Palestine needs to be free from aparteid, settler colonialism, and genocide. In short, Palestine needs to be FREE. However, since Israel launched its genocidal campaign against Gaza and the West Bank, there is much need.

Float for Falastin! is a Paddling With A Purpose. Our goal is to raise funds for Gaza Soup Kitchen.

DONATE HERE

Gaza Soup Kitchen

https://gazasoupkitchen.com/

“We are proud to serve the resilient communities of Gaza through our network of kitchens, providing daily hot meals and clean drinking water to those in need. Each kitchen is strategically located to reach as many families as possible, ensuring access to essential nourishment and support. Our work goes beyond food—we’re here to uplift, care, and stand in solidarity with every family we serve. Each meal represents our commitment to dignity, hope, and the enduring spirit of the Palestinian people.”