2023-11-07 16:21:00
Photo by BELAL AL SABBAGH/AFP via Getty Images
Amnesty International expresses its satisfaction with French President Macron’s decision to host an international humanitarian conference for the civilian population of Gaza to coordinate aid to the people of the occupied Gaza Strip, who continue to endure a devastating military operation, as well as the intensification of a 16-year illegal blockade, which now deprives them of essential items for their survival, such as water and fuel.
States have the joint and individual responsibility to cooperate to provide humanitarian assistance in times of emergency. Furthermore, States that are in a position to provide assistance have an obligation to do so through international cooperation and assistance.
We ask the organizing entities and participants in the conference to Press for a meaningful and immediate humanitarian ceasefireand insist on it, and exert all necessary pressure on the Israeli authorities and Hamas to heed this call.
The ceasefire and lifting of the blockade and newly expanded restrictions are necessary for the sustained, effective and impactful delivery of any humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. The ceasefire must include the following guarantees:
The ceasefire must cover the entire Gaza Strip and last long enough to allow for substantial relief of suffering. It should be based on the free and safe movement of the civilian population and humanitarian aid personnel. All parties to the conflict must commit to abide by the civilian nature of humanitarian assistance and to refrain from hindering or preventing its diversion. The ceasefire must allow bodies to be recovered and buried, wounded people to be properly cared for, hospitals and clinics are repaired and receive essential materials, and other humanitarian aid items reach the Strip without delay and are distributed safely and safely. The right of the people of Gaza to access essential items for survival, such as drinking water, food, non-food items such as shelter and dignity kits for women, medicines and fuel. The delivery of humanitarian aid must be fully accessible and address the needs of young children, sick and injured people , elderly people, pregnant women and people with disabilities.During the ceasefire, everything possible must be done to obtain the release of the hostages captured on October 7. During the negotiations, independent monitoring entities should be given immediate access to visit the hostages to determine their well-being and facilitate communication with their families and with consular officials in the case of those who do not have Israeli or dual nationality. nationality. Independent observers such as the staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights should be given access to the Gaza Strip; the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel; the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; the International Criminal Court; and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International to carry out investigations into the situation on the ground, including indiscriminate and disproportionate air and ground attacks and other violations of international humanitarian law by all parties.
Amnesty International also calls on participants in the humanitarian conference and international organizations to:
Commit to Gaza’s long-term recovery: There will need to be a commitment to meeting the enormous needs arising from the large-scale destruction of Gaza, such as reconstruction work and aid to those who have lost homes, businesses, and means of survival. Commitments should be presented with a clear timetable for disbursement and not be limited to declarations. Recognize the right of the people of Gaza to return to their homes and the areas where they lived before this most recent attack, and ensure that the Palestinian population return to all parts of the Gaza Strip. Include the long-term political solution to the crisis on the agenda. To do so, they will need to address its root causes, such as the illegal and inhumane blockade of Gaza, which constitutes collective punishment, and all remaining dimensions of Israel’s apartheid system imposed on the entire Palestinian population, which is a crime against humanity.
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