Demonstrators float Wenatchee River for Gaza aid

LEAVENWORTH — Approximately 60 people floated down the Wenatchee River on Aug. 2 to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The event, Float for Falastin, was led by Leavenworth resident and Palestinian American Abde Elshafei, who co-organized a cultural night and Gaza benefit at Sleeping Lady Resort last year, which brought in approximately 150 attendees and raised over $7,000 for United Palestinian Appeal. 

The event brought people together from both sides of the Cascades, including Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Bellingham and Seattle. Demonstrators wore bandanas with Palestinian colors, the Palestinian flag, and keffiyehs as they floated, pausing for a speech from Elshafei at the start, and music on a gravel bar mid-way through. Bushel and Bee hosted a rave that evening, donating a portion of the proceeds to the effort.

“Whether it's Seattle or here, there's a lot of solidarity. There's a cross cultural, cross ethnicity, multi-religious movement…The fact that that remains consistent is what is actually amazing,” said Yaz Kader, who travelled from Seattle for the event.

The event raised approximately $8,000 for Gaza Soup Kitchen, which provides meals throughout Gaza. The organization started with one soup kitchen in early 2024 by Chef Mahmoud Almadhoun, and grew to eleven following fundraising efforts from his U.S. residing brother, Hani Almadhoun. According to his family, Mahmoud was killed in an Israeli drone strike while delivering food to a hospital later that year; his family has continued the Gaza Soup Kitchen’s mission.

Before the event, Elshafei said he got in touch with Hani Almadhoun about the fundraiser, and was surprised when he received an appreciative reply from Almadhoun. 

“I just started crying when I read the email from Hani...And it's so important to me—my family is from Gaza. My dad grew up in Gaza. He doesn't live there anymore, but it just seems like such a distant place, just to know that we really are just one degree of separation away from people in Gaza, and we are actually making a difference there,” said Elshafei.

The demonstration came as international attention mounts over the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as aid has been restricted and civilians have been killed while accessing. On July 29, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, said the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in Gaza,” and predicted widespread death without immediate action. Over 20,000 children have been admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, with more than 3,000 severely malnourished, according to the alert. Israel has received criticism for restricting aid access and killing civilians near Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) sites. Israel has denied these claims, blaming Hamas for stealing aid and inciting chaos.

In a July 23 GoFundMe fundraiser update, Almadhoun said only five of the organization’s 11 kitchens across Gaza were functional.

“Some are running at just 70% capacity, because food is nearly impossible to find,” wrote Almadhoun.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media