Leading humanitarian organizations, Christian Aid, Global Justice Now, Oxfam, and War on Want, have issued a statement calling on the United Kingdom (UK) Government to take immediate action to end the escalating crisis in Gaza.
In a joint statement, the organizations asked the UK to stop selling weapons to Israel.
According to them, selling weapons makes UK complicit in the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza.
“Until the UK Government calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and suspends its arms sales to Israel, it is complicit in the slaughter of innocent civilians taking place every day in Gaza,” the statement reads in part.
The humanitarian groups noted that Israel’s military response to recent attacks by Hamas and other armed groups has resulted in the tragic loss of over 26,000 lives in Gaza, a majority of whom are women and children.
In addition, the group reported that 19 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
“While the horror continues and the death toll rises, the UK Government’s persistent abstention from UN votes for a ceasefire is deeply troubling.
“Without a permanent cessation of hostilities, comprehensive humanitarian aid to address the devastation in Gaza remains unattainable,” the humanitarian organizations emphasized.
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UK on the Gaza War
Despite rightfully condemning unlawful attacks by Hamas, the UK Government has failed to condemn Israel for mass civilian killings, the complete siege on Gaza, and ongoing restrictions on humanitarian access, contributing to a rapidly worsening health emergency.
Concerns have been raised by various bodies regarding the potential breach of international humanitarian law through the use of UK-supplied arms by Israel.
Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government is in pursuit of a policy to collective punishment against Gaza’s people.
This coupled with the rejection of the right to statehood for Palestinians, starkly contradicts UK’s stated policy for decades.
“The cycles of violence will persist, and innocent lives on both sides will continue to be lost until Palestinians and Israelis are treated as equals, and the illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is brought to an end,” the coalition asserted.
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“We urge you to call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, halt arms sales to Israel and Palestinian armed groups, and prevent their use in potential violations of international humanitarian and human rights law,” the joint statement further reads.
The organizations stressed on the urgency of enforcing provisional measures indicated by the International Court of Justice ruling and emphasize that a ceasefire was needed “yesterday” to halt the ongoing civilian slaughter in Gaza.
In a resounding call to action, the coalition concluded by stating, “The UK’s complicity must end.”
