Levels of extreme hunger reported in Gaza, which the World Health Organisation has now declared constitute ‘man-made mass starvation,’ must prompt the UK Government to step up and rethink its approach to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
Together with the 60,000 reported deaths and hundreds of thousands of casualties in Gaza since the start of the current conflict in 2023, the prospect of preventable man-made mass starvation strongly risks amounting to genocide.
Humanists UK endorses the recent call from Humanists International ‘for all parties in the Israel-Palestine conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and international human rights law’, for the release of hostages, and for an ‘immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.’
As humanists, we recognise the inherent dignity and worth of every person and we call for all parties to remember our shared humanity when striving for solutions to seemingly intractable conflicts. No one should face violence, starvation, or actions amounting to genocide. The people of Israel and of Palestine all deserve a lasting and humane peace. For some time this has seemed to be getting further away, not closer and only international effort can correct this course of events.
The UK Government must recognise the mounting human cost of its own current approach to events, and use all available diplomatic channels and other levers to secure a permanent ceasefire, release of hostages, and cessation of illegal activities in Gaza and the West Bank. As a UK NGO, we urge the UK government to do all that it can, diplomatically, through sanctions, direct aid, and ceasing weapons exports, to bring the conflict to an end. The UK Government should make it an urgent diplomatic priority to secure genuine safe passage for food and aid to the people of Gaza and should stop arming the Netanyahu government with weapons and parts that can be used in attacks that kill civilians, including those trying to access food.
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