FROM THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES PROJECT AT THE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press contact at end

Washington, D.C. – On October 19, the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies issued the following statement:

It is time to stop the civilian suffering and death. The U.S. must push for an urgent ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.

“There have been too many deaths of both Palestinians and Israelis since the horrific attacks on Israeli civilians of October 7. Those attacks cannot be made right by perpetuating violence on Palestinian civilians. A ceasefire is the only way to stop innocent suffering,” said Lindsay Koshgarian, Program Director of the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies.

An immediate ceasefire would halt the civilian deaths that have mounted by the day, and which now number in the thousands. It would stop the killing of Palestinian civilians and allow for the instatement of humanitarian aid to the more than 2 million residents of Gaza  — half of whom are children — who have been cut off from food and water, and have been under ceaseless bombardment. A ceasefire would also promise a measure of immediate safety to Israelis who are reeling from the attacks of October 7, and provide an opening to negotiate the safe return of Israeli and all hostages.

As a major financial supporter of the Israeli military, the U.S. also bears moral responsibility for the results of its actions. As the world watches, the U.S. has a chance to stand for morality and the humanity of all people by calling for a ceasefire as the only path to protect human life.

More violence will only guarantee more suffering. The U.S. must use its significant influence to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Press contacts:

Olivia Alperstein, (202) 704-9011, olivia@ips-dc.org
Lindsay Koshgarian, lindsay@ips-dc.org

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About the National Priorities Project

The National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies is a leading nonpartisan research program that produces analyses comparing federal budget and national spending priorities with alternative opportunities to reinvest funding for militarism in safety and shared prosperity for all. The National Priorities Project is the only nonprofit, non-partisan federal budget research program in the nation with the mission to make the federal budget accessible to the American public.