November 12, 2024
News
The global network Caritas Internationalis, of which Caritas Czech Republic is a member, has joined the call of humanitarian organisations and appeals to all UN member states to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and the entire region. It also calls for an end to the impunity that allows the continuation and escalation of violence by Israeli forces against the civilian population.
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Over 43 000 dead, more than 100 000 injured
Without accountability, there will be no red lines and no rock bottom. Israel’s war in Gaza, following the deadly attacks by Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023, is the latest and most horrific onslaught of violence in the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. After a year of unfathomable killing and destruction, patterns of civilian harm by Israeli forces are spreading and escalating from Gaza to Lebanon, while rocket attacks by armed groups in Lebanon continue.
We are now on the precipice of even greater devastation across the region. Failure to act now is a choice - a choice that will fail to stop and prevent future atrocities. The UN Commission of Inquiry concluded last week that Israel has committed war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities in Gaza, and called on member states to “cease aiding or assisting in the commission of violations.”
Over the last 12 months, the UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Gaza, including one calling for a ceasefire, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention. The ICJ also issued an Advisory Opinion that found that Israel’s occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory is illegal, and the UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) within 12 months.
Despite this, none of these measures have been carried out or adhered to. The international community’s egregious disregard for international law and the government of Israel’s unchecked impunity in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon, has set dangerous new precedents for the conduct of war.
For civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon and Israel this has resulted in:
- Israeli military actions killing over 43,000 Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory and more than 2,000 people in Lebanon.
- Israeli forces issuing displacement orders covering over 84% of Gaza's territory and now 25% of Lebanon’s territory. These orders, combined with Israel’s bombardment, have forcibly displaced around 90% of Gaza's population and over 800,000 people in Lebanon.
- An estimated 400,000 Palestinians are under siege and relentless bombardment in northern Gaza without access to food, water, fuel, or medical care.
- The killing of over 300 Palestinian and international aid workers, and over 1000 health care workers in Gaza and 95 in Lebanon. UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon are also coming under attack by Israeli forces. Israeli military attacks on hospitals, clinics, and ambulances have decimated the health care system in Gaza, and are destroying it in Lebanon - leaving millions without access to care.
- Countless children and adults are dying of malnutrition and facing the risk of starvation, directly induced by the Israeli government’s siege on Gaza, which includes systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and essential services.
- The killing of nearly 1,200 people in Israel during the Palestinian armed group led attacks on October 7, 2023.
- Rockets fired by Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups have killed and injured dozens of people and displaced over 140,000 Israelis.
- 101 hostages remain held by Palestinian armed groups, and thousands of Palestinians are unlawfully detained by Israeli forces in detention centers, including children, many whose whereabouts are unknown and have effectively disappeared.
Many among us have repeatedly called for a permanent and unconditional ceasefire, hostage release, a halt to arms transfers, and de-escalation of tensions in the region, and yet the violence only appears to be intensifying. Again, we call on all Heads of State and Governments, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground to prioritise the preservation of human life above all else by:
- Securing an immediate ceasefire by all parties to the conflict and an end to the indiscriminate attacks that kill civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure;
- Halting the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to parties to the conflict that may be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law (IHL);
- Enabling unhindered humanitarian access for the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies and fuel, and the safe movements of civilians and aid workers.
- Ensuring the protection of civilians from further forced displacement, and the right to return for those forcibly displaced. Civilians who choose to stay or are unable to leave remain protected under international law.
- Securing the release of all hostages and detainees.
- Immediately activating independent international investigations into all apparent violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes committed by all parties.
Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity. It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation. All Member States must prevent further atrocities and ensure that those responsible for any violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, are held accountable. Failure to act now risks further eroding international norms and emboldening perpetrators. The cycle of violence against civilians needs to stop.
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