Ypres (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – About 15 people, including Geert Vanlangendonck and Riane Malfait, began a hunger strike at St. Peter’s Church in Ypres to protest Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and urge government action.
As VRT News reported, about 15 people have started a hunger strike at St. Peter’s Church in Ypres to protest the ongoing war in Gaza. Participants want to draw attention to the severe humanitarian situation in Gaza, where many people are facing food shortages.
They are inviting others to join the strike by abstaining from food for one or more days to show solidarity with the Palestinian population. Organisers emphasise that the action is not only a gesture of support but also a way to raise awareness and pressure authorities to act.
“It changes a bit each day who participates,”
says Geert Vanlangendonck, organiser and one of the hunger strikers.
“Some come to church, others do it from home, and the brothers from St. Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren also participate. We only drink tea or water, but don’t eat anything.”
What are 15 activists in Ypres doing to protest the Gaza crisis?
The hunger strikers also want to influence political decisions at both the Flemish and federal levels.
“We want an end to diplomatic, economic, and military cooperation with the Israeli government and army,”
said Riane Malfait of the leper Peace Collective, which is participating in the protest.
Riane Malfait said the Belgian government must follow international law.
“The government must respect the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court,”
she said. She added that Belgium should also support all Palestinian refugees and asylum seekers living in Europe.
Beyond these national demands, the hunger strikers have issued several specific demands to the Ypres Council as City of Peace, calling upon local authorities to take concrete steps to display actions as a sign of solidarity with Palestinians who are suffering due to the conflict.
“The city council must help pressure the federal and Flemish governments to show their true colours,”
Malfait say.
“The council must also speak out more forcefully against the genocide, work towards sanctions against Israel, and support an immediate ceasefire.”
The protest is accompanied by a series of activities at St. Peter’s Church throughout the week. Event organisers have organised workshops, musical performances, lectures, silent circles for reflection, and film screenings. The event organisers have decided to merge symbolic protest, educational, and culturally based activities in an effort to raise awareness and support public dialogue.
“On the closing night, we want to give people a voice, using poetry, a text by an author, or their own work to denounce the horrors in Gaza and the turning a blind eye,”
says Vanlangendonck,
“We can and must do better.”
Hunger strikes in Belgium have become a recurring form of protest against the war in Gaza. In February 2025, a group of activists held a hunger strike in Brussels, drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis and calling for government action.
Just a month later, in March 2025, a similar strike took place in Ghent, organised by local peace groups and solidarity networks. Now, in August 2025, activists have moved to Ypres, continuing the campaign and highlighting the suffering of Palestinian civilians. The protest started on Monday, Aug 25, 2025.
