On Monday, Dec 11, 2023, the following letter was released by congressional interns and fellows. The letter details how Congress has suppressed the demands of constituents calling on a cease-fire to Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.

Dear Members of the United States Congress,

We, the undersigned congressional interns and fellows, write to express our profound concern regarding Congress’ conduct amid the Israel-Hamas war, which has killed over 18,000 Palestinian civilians, injured 48,000, and left more than three-quarters of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents displaced.

We believe Israel, like any nation, has the right to defend itself and its people. However, there is no justification for the wanton killing of innocent civilians. There is no justification for intentionally bombing hospitals, shelters, water supplies, religious sites, or schools. This is no longer an act of defense. It is genocide.

While we refrain from telling our bosses how to do their jobs, as congressional interns and fellows, we owe it to the American people to expose the patent malpractice of Congress. We can no longer stand by while the voices of constituents are suppressed and ignored by their elected officials.

The call for a permanent ceasefire is not just a statistical trend; it is a heartfelt appeal that echoes the sentiments of millions of Americans from across the country who believe in the urgency of putting an end to the suffering in Gaza. We know this to be the case, as every single day, interns respond to hundreds if not thousands of phone calls, voicemails, and letters related to this issue.

In fact, we found that in just 71 out of 535 congressional offices, constituents made over 693,170 calls, letters, and voice messages demanding a permanent ceasefire in the last two months. These are unprecedented numbers that are going unnoticed and unheard. In some cases, Members of Congress are not being adequately briefed about the volume or contents of these messages; in several instances, senior staff have deliberately provided inaccurate information about these data to Members. In other cases, Members have willfully ignored the pleas of large swaths of their constituents. This is happening while Members continue to hold meetings with AIPAC and similar lobbies at an astonishing frequency in recent weeks.

Testimonies from Congressional Hill Interns and Fellows:

“During my time as an intern, I received numerous calls, voicemails, letters, etc. every day from constituents calling for a ceasefire. I took many calls where constituents were in tears, pleading for the humanity of the representative. The most disheartening thing that I, and many constituents, noticed was the disconnect between what they were asking for and the actions of the representative. I also noticed within my office staffers actively choosing not to include or share information or numbers about calls for a ceasefire with the representative... I was even disgusted by the language some staffers used when talking about the issue or a ceasefire. To diminish the intelligence of people who support a ceasefire, to blatantly spread misinformation within the office about the conflict, and to actively make other staff feel uncomfortable is appalling. As an intern, I dealt firsthand with constituents, talked to them on the phone, and saw how many times and how many people called in to support a ceasefire. There is a clear disconnect between what the American public wants and what their representatives are doing.”

“Over these past two months, the office I work for has received tens of thousands of calls from constituents urging the Member to call for a ceasefire. My Member has yet to comment publicly on a ceasefire and continues to side with Israel despite the overwhelming amount of calls, letters, and voice messages received since early October. Out of the tens of thousands of calls made to our office, one, in particular, stood out to me: A constituent called in tears to share that her husband’s family had been killed in a hospital bombing in Gaza. She had pleaded with me to change the Members' stance on the war. Hearing her voice and story broke me. Having been involved in weekly legislative meetings, as desperate as I was to share the message with staff, I knew it would never reach the Member. I am tired of working for someone who fails to listen to their constituents. I am tired of working for an office that willfully refuses to provide accurate information about this war to the Member. We are failing the American people without them even knowing it.”

“A multi-faith, intergenerational coalition of organizers occupied our office to demand a ceasefire. I left my desk and stepped behind their protest banner to join them. After the office occupation, an organizer with a family sheltering in Gaza thanked me for my solidarity, and I told her that I had too many family members who were killed in the Holocaust for me to be silent amidst genocide. Congresspeople: Your constituents are urgently—ceaselessly—tearfully—desperately demanding a ceasefire. Desperately demanding accountability from those who pledge to represent and serve them. Free yourselves and your staffers from complicity in what history will remember as one of the most shameful, devastating chapters in US history. Support a permanent ceasefire now.”

To those reading this letter outside the Halls of Congress, to the people calling congressional offices to voice their concerns, to those who are tired of watching this massacre unfold, know that we, as congressional interns and fellows, hear and see you. We may not be the highest ranking in our offices, but we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure a permanent ceasefire is achieved, even when Members of Congress fail to do so.

Enough is enough. The time for action is now.

In Solidarity,

Over 140 Congressional Interns and Fellows