The cycle of violence in Gaza reaches a familiar stage. We are back at the term “ceasefire” once again. At this point in the familiar turn of events, we see the conflict recede from the headlines and the fervor die down. The marches ebb away into nothing and the protests in front of embassies and government buildings whither. Meanwhile, the source behind all this, the occupation, carries on.

If you were in the middle of penning your letter to your government representative or to the editor of your local paper, you might be wondering if it still makes sense to continue. This tentative agreement comes literally hours before the United States gets a new president, and sees the end of a White House administration that was more popular among Israeli officials than it was in the United States. Do you hold off amid all this talk of “change?”

There’s an interesting and helpful section on the End the Campaign’s website aimed at helping you amplify your voice and engage your community’s media. Use this tool to send a letters to the editor of your local paper. Click here to get started.

The situation is all too familiar; We’ve been here before. More tragically, the people of Gaza have as well. A new year, a new campaign name, the same results. Violence has returned to Gaza on a large scale. Really, though, it’s never been that far away.

The death toll in Gaza topped 1,000 today amid Israel’s continuing attack and chances of an imminent ceasefire remain elusive. Through this, it can be difficult to keep perspective on what we can do from afar to promote peace and justice.

But look around. People are taking action.

From PalCast: Israel has intensified its attacks on Gaza in the third week of its war, pushing closer to the capital, Gaza City. Foreign journalists are still being barred from entering Gaza to report on what is really happening on the ground. With fatalities closing in on the 1000 mark, Israel has come under severe international criticism for its relentless attacks.

Fida Qishta is a writer and teacher living in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. She is keeping a diary of the Israeli bombardment which is being posted on the Guardian website

By Fida Qishta

Monday 5 January

Every night, the Israeli air strikes continue to hit Rafah. The air is full of smoke. At home, we are trying to have a normal life, but it’s not possible. We are scared to death. My dad is terrified, so my sisters and I are trying to be normal, to make him feel better. We talk about stories from the old days, to make him laugh. One of the funniest things we used to ask my father when we were children, when we watched cartoons on the TV, was: “Dad, can we get into the TV?” He’d say: “No, silly, you can’t.” Then we’d ask: “How did these other people get into the TV?” — Continue reading this at the Guardian.