A Portuguese human rights activist has entered the third day of an indefinite hunger strike, urging the Portuguese government to recognize Palestine as a state and help end what he describes as genocide.
Nuno Gomes, 57, a heavy-duty truck driver involved in international transport, is stationed either in front of or in the side garden of the Assembly of the Republic in Lisbon since Tuesday.
“The reasons [for the hunger strike] include exposing the genocide occurring in Gaza, which is not being properly reported in Portugal. It’s not a war or a conflict in Gaza; it’s genocide,” asserted Gomes, a native of Lisbon residing in Coimbra.
Accompanied by his wife, two children, and several friends and activists, Gomes demands the Portuguese government, which refuses to recognize the State of Palestine, “to urgently facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
He also demands that humanitarian aid be allowed into Gaza and urges Portuguese mainstream television channels to portray the “reality of genocide” in Palestinian territories as committed by Israel.
“The third aspect is the role of the media, which is very permissive in these matters, and it continues not to mention as often as it should that what is happening in Gaza is genocide, not war or conflict,” he reiterated.
When questioned about the Portuguese government’s stance on the State of Palestine, Gomes, conducting the hunger strike while on work leave, expressed “great outrage.”
“That’s why I have committed to this action. The recognition of the State of Palestine has already been approved in Parliament, but it hasn’t been enacted. The government must act. We cannot continue to deceive the Portuguese in this manner. The State of Palestine has the right to be recognized according to international law, and the Portuguese government is obliged to do so, as stipulated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic,” he added.
Regarding the duration of his hunger strike, Gomes stated it will continue “until the government recognizes the State of Palestine, humanitarian aid enters Gaza, and mainstream channels like RTP, SIC, TVI start reporting the news properly.”
If none of the three demands are met, Gomes vowed to continue the hunger strike.
“I have committed to this indefinite hunger strike, and I will stay here until they comply with what I have proposed. It’s clear that we face risks by being alive. An indefinite hunger strike can lead to death; that’s correct,” he admitted, though he downplayed the situation.
“But we must do something, we must act for the cause because it’s genocide at stake, it’s children at stake, and I don’t think it’s concerning for me to worry about something I don’t know will happen. My focus in this struggle is on the children being killed in Gaza, and that’s where I’ll keep my focus,” he concluded.
