Photo Credit: © Hosny Salah 2025
Frequently asked questions:
What do we mean by witnessing?
Are you pro-Palestine, anti-semitic?
Why are we reading the Israeli civilian names?
Why are we reading on these days?
Where do you find the names of the people who have been killed?
How do you know how to pronounce the names correctly?
Do you foresee unrest during this event?
Where will this event take place?
Is Santa Fe the only place that this event is happening?
Who are we?
We are a group of regular people, concerned citizens living in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico. We span different generations, faiths, economic backgrounds, and political views. We do not represent any organizations.
What do we mean by witnessing?
Images and stories from and about Gaza reach us daily. In that sense, we are already witnessing the genocide that is taking place there. Since we have knowledge of the situation, we seek to come together to open ourselves to the suffering in Gaza and subsequently be changed by witnessing in community. Giving names to the thousands of people who have been killed in the last two years of war also shines light onto the dire living conditions in Gaza and the total destruction of the infrastructure that supports daily life. And what all this means for those still alive in Gaza.
Are you pro-Palestine, anti-semitic?
We are for life. We are not representing any particular political, religious, or activist views. We are moved by the horrors in Gaza and want to translate that into a meaningful gesture.
Criticism of the Israeli government and their actions in Gaza does not equate to antisemitism. Actually, we have several Jewish members on the organizing committee.
Whose names are you reading?
We read the names of all documented Palestinian civilians who were murdered beginning on October 1st, 2023 and ongoing until the end of August 2025, knowing all too well that, without a ceasefire, people would continue to be murdered during our event. We included the names of all of the people of various nationalities who were killed on October 7th, as we are well aware of the loss and trauma inflicted on that day. As US Citizens and Taxpayers we acknowledge that we are responsible for all of these lives.
Why did we read the Israeli civilian names?
In addition to the 68,225 documented Palestinian victims, we will also read the names of the more than 800 civilian (Israeli and other nationalities) victims of October 7, 2023. While we choose to center the genocide being waged through targeted bombing of civilians, expulsion and forced starvation in Gaza, we also seek to recognize and respect the loss and grief of Israelis and other civilians. We read all of these names in order to acknowledge the human cost of violence, in silence, with dignity. We believe that naming all the victims does justice to the humanity we strive for, and brings us closer to peace and justice. The reading of the Israeli names took about 1.5 hours, while the reading of Palestinian names took nearly 120 hours. The violence and suffering inflicted on the people of Gaza is vividly manifested in this enormous disparity.
This event drew in a large number of people from all around Santa Fe, people who have up till now been watching the horrors in Gaza unfold, but have not found a way to express their feelings about it.
Why did we read on these days?
Sunset on October 1, 2025 is the beginning of the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. Called Yom Kippur, the day is a time of deep reflection, mourning, forgiveness, and atonement.
On this day of communal introspection, we acknowledged collective tragedy and as we read the names of all those documented civilians that were murdered, we remember that each life lost is a lost universe. At the heart of Yom Kippur lies a process of acknowledging mistakes and wounds that can only begin to be repaired by mending the threads between us – one human being to another.
Only then can we move forward together to promote peace, justice, and the alleviation of suffering.
Where do you find the names of the people who have been killed?
Gaza civilians can be found via the Airwars database – https://airwars.org/moh-list/
A list of names from October 7, 2023 can be obtained by request via witness4gaza@proton.me
How do you know how to pronounce the names correctly?
We asked Arab speaking friends to help us with pronunciation. Readers received a recorded audio with some basic pronunciation guidelines. Regardless of our best intentions, we are certain that we made plenty of mistakes.
Do you expect unrest during this event?
We counted on peace, respect, grace, and dignity throughout, as this event brought a respectful naming of each person killed, without any flags present, chanting of slogans, or other activism. We saw this as a testimony to the suffering and violence that continues in Gaza to this day.
Where will this event take place?
We are still working with the city as well as other organizations to find a place that is appropriate, safe, and welcoming.
Is Santa Fe the only place that this event is happening?
We were inspired by similar events in the Netherlands that took place over the summer. It would be good, and much more potent, to be connected with people in other communities who are doing similar events. Hence the following request: please help us spread the word to friends, family, acquaintances, and organizations in other parts of the US (and globe). A guiding document, which we received from organizers in the Netherlands, is available to aid in organizing. We will be happy to share via witness4gaza@proton.me.
We will send you all the information you need to create your own event. People signed up for a two-hour slot alongside three or four other people for daylight hours and alongside five or six other people for night time hours (between 10 pm and 8 am). We also had coordinators who took on a six-hour window to ensure that transitions went smoothly and be a point person for unexpected situations.
Where can I donate?
We will gratefully accept donations to help with the costs of setting up this event (printing of pages with names, art supplies for arts project, and other miscellaneous expenses). Send us an email and we will direct you to a PayPal or Venmo account or other preferred way of donation.
You can also donate to an organization that helps Palestinians directly such as:
Palestine Red Crescent Society,
Disclaimer
Participation in “Santa Fe Witnessing for Gaza” is at your own risk. We will do our very best to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely, but the organizers are not liable for damage, loss, or theft of personal belongings, or for injuries or accidents during the event. We are consulting with the police and the city of Santa Fe regarding safety, but unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that there will be no risk whatsoever. Therefore, please take good care of your belongings and take precautions where necessary.
The organizers reserve the right to change the program or location of the event. Photos and videos may be taken during the event for promotional purposes.
Our website contains links to other websites; we are not responsible for the content or privacy policies of those websites. By participating in or visiting “Santa Fe Witnessing for Gaza” you agree to these terms and conditions.