Mr. Michael Hanlon stated Carlos Marreno, 239 N. 4th Street. He stated no
Carlos.
Ms. Naomi Fossa, 38 W. Union Boulevard - Bethlehem, thanked Council
for the opportunity to speak. She stated that she lived in the Lehigh Valley
for 11 years and worked in the city of Allentown for four. Those who are
close to her know that her life is full of relationships with children. She is an
older sister to five siblings, age six months to 17 years and works as a
childcare provider. She spends a large amount of her time playing with
children, making sure they are fed, that they can rest and ensuring that they
both feel and are safe. She stated that she loves her work, but since
October 7th, when spending time with her family or the families that she
works with she is reminded what the IDF has been doing to the children of
Gaza. Enabled by US tax dollars, the IDF has murdered over 12,000
children, injured 18,000, and orphaned 19,000. In addition to this, Israel
has arrested and detained 880 minors just this year. Minors detained by
the IDF are held without trial and in captivity. There are reports of sexual
and physical abuse. Some children have passed away from cardiac arrest
due to the extreme food insecurity, stress and trauma they are
experiencing. Children passing away from cardiac arrest is not nature.
When she interacts with the children in her life, she thinks of the children of
Gaza and how each and every one of them is just as precious, curious,
creative, playful and deserving of life as the children who live in the Lehigh
Valley. As she works with children, she is disgusted to know her tax dollars
from this work go towards destroying children's family, dreams and bodies
overseas. Children do not have power in this world stating it is our
responsibility to ensure that all children everywhere are not hungry, cold, or
in danger when it is within our power. It is in the power of the US to ensure
this for the children of Gaza as we are funding the terror that they are
experiencing. She stated that they might say that this is not a local issue,
but she says because children in Allentown go to sleep hungry, cold, and
afraid as well it is. She stated that if their compassion can't reach
overseas, will it at least reach outside this hall, the city that you serve. All of
the taxpayer money that goes to Israel's genocidal sadistic and purely evil
actions should rather be invested into our communities. She asked
Council to draft a cease fire resolution and tell the state of Pennsylvania to
stop sending aid to Israel.
Ms. Gabriella Delgado, 121 S. Saint Cloud Street, stated that she has lived
in Allentown for her entire life. Today, she is here to implore the members
of the Allentown City Council to demand an immediate and permanent
cease fire in Palestine. Over the past five months, the world has watched
as atrocities have unfolded in Palestine at the hands of Israel. She stated
that we have seen Israel to use bombs to turn, homes, schools, places of
worship, and hospitals all to rubble. They have seen children, infants,
mothers and fathers get their lives taken away from them and seen the sick
and injured go without proper medical care due to the blockage of