Ralph Nader, longtime champion of consumer rights, in a Sept. 10 report on Democracy Now! stated his firm belief about the true numbers of deaths in decimated Gaza since Oct. 7, no less than seven times the official account: a staggering 300,000.

Why? Because what is now provided includes only those who died in hospitals, whose identities could be verified. God only knows how many were crushed under their homes, or buried in open spaces and fields, snipered, or bulldozed under sand by Israel Defense Forces. Even The Lancet (British medical journal) estimated 160,000 indirect deaths as of July, i.e., due to illness, starvation, or lack of needed medical care.

Moreover, at this rate he predicts that by the end of 2024, 1 million will have perished. Why the present inaccurate count?

Because keeping the figure both relatively and also palpably low benefits all factions, for their own reasons: Hamas, so as to say they do their best to minimize the loss of their own; the IDF, so as to minimize the enormity of their indiscriminate slaughter; and our U.S., so as to justify the need to keep funding and supplying more arms and materiel, regardless collateral damage on this massive scale.

America in general, and our Valley in particular, let us resolve to boycott, divest (like Portland, Maine), and impose sanctions wherever possible, upon Israel.

If not, how can we go on living with our conscience, since we now know better? How can we remain silent and thereby complicit?

Jeanne Alle

Leahy Fast For Palestine, Easthampton