To the Editor:

The Boston Human Rights Commission condemns in the strongest possible terms the brutal attacks conducted by Hamas on Israeli citizens on Oct. 7 and the subsequent brutal, indiscriminate bombing resulting in the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israeli troops.

We stand with our fellow Israeli and Palestinian neighbors who continue to mourn the tragic loss of family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and fellow citizens each and every day. We feel their suffering, and we grieve with them.

We are horrified by the depth of cruelty and suffering surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and dismayed by the apparent inability of the most powerful international leaders and organizations to put an end to this tragedy.

We join the millions of world citizens in urging those who represent the power of the people to stop the war and to seek peace.
We demand the immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza, and the urgent deployment of humanitarian assistance into the region. 

We appeal to Boston’s neighbors, community leaders, and political representatives to be courageous, compassionate, and constructive in peacefully defending the inalienable human rights of all Palestinian and Israeli people.

Dr. Reyes Coll-Tellechea
The writer is a Dorchester resident and the chair of Boston Human Rights Commission.