More than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action in Gaza since 7 October including 4,104 children, over 88 UN aid workers and 150 Gaza health workers.

We stand against the collective punishment of Gazans in response to Hamas’ horrific attacks.  We demand an immediate ceasefire and reject all violence against all civilians.

We demand that humanitarian aid be allowed to enter Gaza unhindered.

Unrelenting Israeli military action has been labelled as a “clear violation of international humanitarian law” by the United Nations. The bombing of hospitals, schools and refugee camps are crimes against humanity. Israeli bombardment has fully destroyed or severely damaged over 40 percent of housing units in Gaza. These are hallmarks of genocide and this must be recognised and renounced.

Governments around the world are guilty of tolerating, aiding and abetting war crimes with 45 countries, including Australia, the UK, Germany, India and Canada abstaining from a UN vote that called for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas. We ask that these governments condemn all civilian deaths and support an immediate ceasefire.

As booksellers our role is to share stories and information, to foster education, creativity and community. Our work is by nature in opposition to the institutional silence that dehumanises Palestinans. We have been gravely disturbed to see Palestinian journalists targeted in attacks, and to witness the silencing of Palestinian voices extend to the publishing world as the Frankfurt Book Fair cancelled a prize giving ceremony and discussion event with award-winning Palestinian born author Adania Shibli. One of the purposes of literature is to encourage understanding and dialogue between cultures and we are dedicated to fostering spaces that are safe and humane for all to do this. We condemn the censoring and punishment of those who have spoken and acted in support of Palestine, including journalists, media personalities, writers, academics and arts workers.

We unequivocally condemn the rise of violence which has included instances of anti-Semitism. Standing in solidarity with Palestinian people is not anti-Semitism and should not be labelled as such.

We, the undersigned, reject violence against all civilians, regardless of identity. We stand for freedom and for humanity and we call for an end to the root cause of violence: oppression and occupation. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We ask literary organisations to show solidarity and call on our governments to demand an immediate ceasefire and the opening of Gaza’s crossings to allow humanitarian aid to enter unhindered.

Araxi Mardirian
Kim Gruschow
Gerard Elson
Hera Lindsay Bird
Ellen Cregan
Fiona Hardy
Jessica Mills
Loretta Riach
Calum Barners
Toyah Webb
Rachael Anderson
Danielle Mirabella
Samantha Kelly
Monty Patton
Samuel Walsh
Marijke McDonald
Sarah Fitzpatrick
Sierra Templeton
Joshua Barnes
Always Becominging
Karl Sagrabb
Pia
Brooke Davis
Ellie Roenfeldt
Gabrielle Ru
Becks Popham
Evening Books
Sam Vaker
Kate O’Mara
Open book
Shaan Saggar
Elsie Christoffel
Melissa Oliver
Martene McCaffrey
Olivia Hurley
Lian Hingee
Georgia Wye
Miles Allinson
Georgia Kartas
Matilda Dixon-Smith
Ellen Armfield
Ender Başkan
Dave Little
Harry Gay
Saskia Paxton
Indianna Saunders-Shaw
Jeremy George
Luke McCarthy
Zoe Bakker
Charlotte Guest
Eloise Grills
Alice Bellette
Elisa Ghisalberti
Blake Willis
Isabella Gullifer-Laurie
Kealy Siryj
Clem Larkins
James Gardiner
Carolina Cooksey
New International Book Shop (NIBS)
Nikki Lam
Milo Peltier
Joyce Cheng
Connor Moloney
Stephanie Wang
Pepper Taylor-Rose
Laura Norris
Tom Paech
Annie Cross
Black Spark Cultural Centre
Jaymee Steen
Liz Mathews
Ben Juers
Sally Olds
Fiona Stager
Suzy Garcia
Marina Sano
Amplify Bookstore
Jing Xuan Teo
Rabble Books
Ellie Anderson
Lucy Ira Bailey
Thomas Koed of VOLUME
Stella Chrysostomou of VOLUME
Lorin Reid of Enough Said Books
Jordan Irving
Fran Berry
Vanessa Williams
Jade Butler
Bailey Crossman
Chloe Blades

Authors, publishers and book trade professionals (signing in solidarity)

Tess Nichol
Damien Levi
Mitch Marks
Dominic Hoey
Dead Bird Books
Murdoch Stephens, Brannavan Gnanalingam, Thomasin Sleigh of Lawrence and Gibson
Caroline Wylds
Catarina De Peters Leitao
Leonie Brialey
Saraid De Silva
Melissa Fulton
Kavya Murthy
Holly Bradbury
Ash Davida Jane of Tender Press
Colin McGuire
Luke Samuel Yates
John Duke
Evelyn Araluen
Inez Baranay
Sam Elkin
Tim Coronel
Victoria Manifold
Dan Hogan
Subbed In
Kelsey Oldham
Simone Amelia Jordan
Karen Wyld
Aviva Tuffield
Jessica Walton
Hana Pera Aoake
James Borrowdale
Alex McInnis
nat raum, fifth wheel press
Abigail Denton
Janet Galbraith
jennifer mills
Anwen Crawford
Alison Evans
Mitchell King
Marisa Wikramanayake
Mel Campbell
Rachael Bettiens
Jacqueline Buswell
Caitlin Maling
Simon Gardam
Kanika chopra
Jessy Reese
Ana Jacobsen
Julia Fazzari of Five Mile
Michelle de Kretser

If you are a bookseller who would like to add your name, or an author, publisher or other book industry professional who would like to sign in solidarity you are invited to do so here

Image: a detail from the cover of Adania Shibli’s A Minor Detail. Artwork by Oliver Munday.