Caritas Internationalis joins the Global Day of Action organised today, 18 December, in support of #CeasefireNow, the open call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and further loss of innocent lives.
Caritas Internationalis and several of the Confederation’s 162 national Caritas have joined the initiative, including Caritas MONA (Middle East and North Africa) and Caritas Jerusalem. The petition involves more than 800 organisations worldwide and has already gathered more than 3.5 million signatures.
“On this Global Day of Action, we urge all parties in the Holy Land to #CeasefireNow. People throughout the world must unite and say with one united global voice, ‘Enough is enough! Cease fire! Stop this brutal bombardment!’ International political leaders must urge Israel and Hamas to: cease fire in the Holy Land; safeguard all civilians affected by the conflict; observe international law; guarantee humanitarian access & safety; release all hostages and those arbitrarily detailed,” says Alistair Dutton, Caritas Internationalis’ Secretary General.
Mr Dutton was recently in the Holy Land to spend time with Caritas staff in Jerusalem and to visit Bethlehem and Ramallah in the West Bank, where the organisation operates. “More than two months after the beginning of the conflict, the brutality of this conflict is horrific, with catastrophic consequences for 2.2 million people cowering for safety in the Gaza strip. Almost twenty thousand people have been killed, injured, displaced, and held hostage, including children. There are no supplies, no health care, no water, no electricity, no warmth, no light, no safety. The brutal slaughter of people in the Holy Land must end!”
Joining today’s Global Day of Action, Caritas Internationalis reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire.
It also calls for:
– Urgently grant unimpeded safe humanitarian access to and across all of Gaza, and allow large scale aid operations and private sector suppliers, including through the reopening of the Karem Abu Salem crossing. Reinstate reliable basic services, including water, electricity, communications, and humanitarian and commercial deliveries of food, basic household items and fuel;
– Protect civilians, distinguishing between civilians and combatants in accordance with the Geneva Conventions;
– Respect International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law
– Immediately and unconditionally release civilians held hostage and all those arbitrarily detained.
To sign the petition, click here.
