Five of the UK’s leading agencies delivered petitions to Downing Street and the Foreign Office calling for an urgent ceasefire to prevent further loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives and increased delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The petitions from Oxfam, Save the Children, Action Against Hunger UK, Christian Aid, CAFOD amassed over 300,000 signatures from supporters across the UK.
The conflict in the Middle East has now reached its most intense stage, with a death toll in Gaza reported to be nearly ten thousand. Vital infrastructure continues to be destroyed, depriving people of shelter and the means to meet their basic needs. Despite this, no ceasefire has been called for by the UK Government. Prior to the petition hand-in from the agencies, a candlelit vigil was held outside the Foreign Office for the civilians who have died and continue to be affected by the conflict in the Middle East.
Staff from the NGOs taking part in the petition hand-in are reporting potentially fatally low supplies of water in Gaza. In the absence of a ceasefire, there is only one litre of water a day per person for the next few days. This is well below the 15 litres a person needs each day, to drink, cook and clean, according to the World Health Organisation. The organisations are calling for fuel to be distributed to Gaza to help pump and treat water, and to allow bakeries to start their operations again.
Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director at Action Against Hunger UK, said:
“In the OPT, a humanitarian emergency is unfolding at exceptional speed. On top of there being a significant loss of life, without a ceasefire agreement, people are being deprived of their most basic needs for food, water and sanitation, creating a deadly public health crisis.
“In 2018 the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2417, which condemns the starvation of civilians and denial of humanitarian access in a conflict. The UK has played a leading role in promoting this resolution but is not living up to this commitment. The UK must support global demands for a ceasefire; we fear failure to secure one urgently could well lead to a devastating escalation in casualties.”