In a letter sent to many international civil and official bodies and organizations, the Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryyat” called on the international community to take urgent action to stop the war of genocide against more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and called on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to assume his full responsibilities and play an effective role in stopping the aggression and implementing United Nations resolutions involving the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and establishing their independent state.
It stated: “Israel”, the occupying state, continues its large-scale aggression against the occupied Gaza Strip, systematically and deliberately targeting civilians by bombing buildings and residential neighborhoods without warning and not providing the necessary materials for human survival, with the aim of displacing hundreds of thousands of residents. This aggression comes in alignment with statements issued by Israel’s political and military leadership; most notably what was issued by the Israeli Minister of War (Yoav Gallant), who described Palestinians of the Gaza Strip as “human animals”, and threatened to destroy the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu imposed collective sanctions on the Gaza Strip by cutting off water, electricity, and fuel, in addition to direct targeting of ambulance crews and journalists. In a precedent not witnessed in modern history, the occupying state requests the complete evacuation of hospitals of their sick and injured residents, amidst bombardment and destruction, while preventing the entrance of humanitarian relief supplies to alleviate the suffering of the population. This organized aggression resulted in serious atrocities that fall within international law and the Statute of International Criminal Courts’ classifications of war crimes, and crimes against humanity, and the crime of genocide.
Statistics issued by multiple authorities indicate that as of Monday morning October 16th, 2023, (2,726) Palestinians in Gaza were martyred and more than (10,800) were injured, a third of whom were children. Reports also point to the destruction of residential buildings and the displacement of more than a million people from their homes, forcing them to seek refuge in shelters in UNRWA schools and other public facilities or out on the streets in very harsh conditions that constitute a stark example of human suffering.
Israel continues to implement collective punishment against Palestinians and escalates its crimes, which constitutes a blatant violation of the principles and provisions of international humanitarian law, which imposes a series of obligations on the occupying state towards the residents of the occupied territory as “protected persons.” It does so with confidence in full impunity, in light of the international community’s inaction, and the political, diplomatic and military support it receives form powerful countries such as the United States, which adopt double standard, but also use reverse logic when considering the Israeli state which is practicing the aggression as exercising its right to legitimate self-defense, while describing the occupied Palestinians facing the aggression, as the aggressors. On the other hand, some countries have taken just stances for the Palestinian people based on International human rights law, International humanitarian law, and International Charter, but follow up and implementation of these statements is imperative to supporting the Palestinian cause.
Based on the above, the Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryyat” demands the following:
- Secretary-General of the United Nations’ condemnation of the Israeli aggression and an urgent response to stop the war of genocide and provide international protection for the Palestinian people.
- The call for an emergency meeting for States Parties to the Geneva Conventions to hold them accountable before their legal responsibilities stipulated in these Conventions and request that States not acting within these Conventions comply.
- International institutions and humanitarian bodies, including the World Health Organization and UNRWA, carry out their duties by operating relief convoys in compliance with their humanitarian missions, without waiting for permission from the occupation authorities or submitting to its threats.
- The prosecution of the perpetrators of serious crimes, whether political or military, before the International Criminal Court and all available judicial forums.
- Stopping the violations and attacks committed by occupation soldiers and settlers against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank.