Open Call For An Immediate Ceasefire In The Gaza Strip And Israel To Prevent A Humanitarian Catastrophe And Further Loss

We have witnessed unfathomable death and destruction in the Gaza Strip and Israel. Thousands of people have been killed, injured, displaced, and nearly two hundred remain held hostage, including children and elderly.

In Gaza, the UN has said that water, food, fuel, medical supplies, and even body bags, are running out due to the siege. The UN warned that people - particularly young children - will soon start dying of severe dehydration. Neighbourhoods have been destroyed and turned into complete rubble. Palestinians in search of safety have nowhere to go. Many of those who relocated from northern Gaza to the south after the relocation order by the Israeli army were reportedly bombed as they attempted to flee or once they arrived in southern Gaza.

The events of the last week have led us to the precipice of a humanitarian catastrophe and the world can no longer wait to act. It is our collective responsibility.

On Sunday, October 15th, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator to the Occupied Palestinian Territory appealed to all parties to the conflict, and to Member States with influence, to urgently agree to a humanitarian ceasefire.

Today, we put our voices together and call on all Heads of State, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground, to prioritize the preservation of human life above all else. During this ceasefire, we call on all parties to unconditionally:

• Facilitate the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies, fuel, and the resumption of electricity and internet to Gaza, in addition to safe passage of humanitarian and medical staff
• Free all civilian hostages, especially children and elderly
• Allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN facilities, schools, hospitals, and health facilities in northern Gaza and commit to protecting them along with the civilians and staff inside them at all times
• Rescind orders by the Government of Israel for civilians to depart northern Gaza
• Allow patients in critical condition to be medically evacuated for urgent care

The UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and all world leaders with influence must take immediate action to ensure a ceasefire comes into effect. It remains our only option to avert further loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe. Anything less will forever be a stain on our collective conscience.

Civilians are not bargaining chips. Families need a chance to bury and mourn their dead. The cycle of violence against innocent civilians needs to stop.

Signatories:

11.11.11

38 Degrees

50:50 NI

ABCD Bethlehem

Abductees Mothers Association

ACTION AGAINST HUNGER

Action Corps

Action For Humanity

ActionAid International

Africans Rising

Afro-Middle East Centre

Agriculture Developmrnt Associations PARC

Al Basma Club for the Disabled

Alliance Internationale -AIDL

Alquds center for Political Studies

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action)

Americares

Amos Trust

Anera

Arab foundation for civil society and human rights

Arab NGO Network for Development

Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz

Asociación Otra Escuela

Association of War Affected Women

Avaaz

Baptist Union of Wales

Belgian Academics and Artists for Palestine

bina

Bond, the UK network for INGOs

Broederlijk Delen

Bytes For All, Pakistan

Caesar Families Association

CAFOD

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)

Carolina Peace Center

Care International

CCFD-Terre Solidaire

Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)

Center for Human Rights in Iran

Center for Peace Education, Miriam College

Centre for human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED)

Centre for Peace Research and Advocacy -CPRA

CESVI

cfd - The feminist Peace Organisation

Change Horizons Forum

ChildFund Alliance

Christian Aid

Christian Aid Ireland

Church World Service

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)

CIDSE

CISP

CISS - COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE SUD SUD

CIVICUS

CNCD-11.11.11

Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific

COPE Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti

COSPE

Council for Arab-British Understanding

Council on American-Islamic Relations

CRIC - Centro Regionale d'Intervento per la Cooperazione ETS

Culturel Center Beethoven Bettounssi

DanChurchAid

Daraj Media

DC Peace Team

Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedom

Denis Hurley Peace Institute

Diakonia

Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality

EL SPACE

Embrace the Middle East

Entraide & Fraternité

Episcopal Relief & Development

Escola de Cultura de Pau (School for a Culture of Peace)

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor

European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (ECR2P)

Fédération Internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH)

Feminist Task Force

Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Friends of Nablus and Surrounding areas (FONSA)

Fundación Cultura de Paz

FUNDACIÓN MUNDUBAT

Futuro en Común

Gandhi Development Trust Phoenix Settlement Trust

Gender Action for Peace and Security

Gender Advisory Team

Genera: Red de mujeres feministas por la equidad de género en el desarrollo

Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

Global Communities

Global Justice Center

Global Justice Now

Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)

Global Rights

GPPAC Pacific-Pacific Women Mediators Network

Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion

Haliéus

Health Poverty Action

HEKS/EPER - Swiss Church Aid

Helen Suzman Foundation

HelpAge International

HIAS

Human Rights & Democracy Media Center "SHAMS"

Human Rights Sentinel

ICNA

ICNA Council for Social Justice

ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICNA CSJ)

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation

IM Swedish Development Partner

Ina autra senda - Swiss Friends of Combatants for Peace

Institute for Security Studies

International Federation for Human Rights

INTERSOS

Islamic Center of Detroit

Islamic Relief

Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK- UK

Jewish Network for Palestine

Jewish Voice for Democracy and Justice in Israel/Palestine jvjp, Switzerland

Jusoor Center for Studies and Development

Kairos Palestine

Kairos Palestine Sweden

Kenya Human Rights Commission

KURVE Wustrow - Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action e.V.

La Coordinadora de ONGD -España

Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights

Liberian Energy Network

Ligue Algérienne de Défense des Droits de l'Homme - LADDH

Lutheran World Federation

MADRE

Marib Girls Foundation

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

MDM Network

Médecins Du Monde - Spain

Médecins Du Monde - Switzerland

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

medico international

medico international schweiz

Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

Mercy Corps

Mercy-USA for Aid and Development

Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict - MENAPPAC

Middle East Children's Alliance

Migrant Roots Media

Min Haqi Foundation to empower women politically and economically

Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Justice and Peace Centre (Australian Province)

Mouvement Social

Musaala Organization for Human Rights

Muslim Aid

Muslim Legal Fund of America

Mwatana for Human Rights

Naseef Muallem

National Cancer Control Foundatin - Yemen

Network of the independent Commission for Human rights in North Africa CIDH AFRICA

NGO SPES

NGOs Platform of Saida - Tajamoh

Nobel Women’s Initiative

Nonviolence Network in the Arab Countries

Nonviolent Peaceforce

Nophotozone

North American Imams Fellow

Norwegian Refugee Council

Oxfam

Palestinian Human Rights Organisation "PHRO"

PAX

Pax Christi Australia

Pax Christi USA

Peace Direct

Peace Organization for Peaceful Coexistence

Permanent Peace Movement

Piattaforma OSC italiane in Medio Oriente e Mediterraneo

Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine

Première Urgence Internationale

Project on Middle East Democracy

Protection Approaches

PVE for Peace

Rebuilding Alliance

ReThinking Foreign Policy

Revista La Mar de Onuba

Right to Movement Palestine

Romanian Peace Institute - PATRIR

Roshanka

Sabeel

Sabeel Kairos Norway

Sabeel-Kairos UK

Save the Children

SALAM NGO

SAM Organization for Rights and Libertie

Sanad alBasra Organization for Human Rights

Save the Children

SB Overseas Soutien Belge

Secours Islamique France (SIF)

SEEN.TV

Seenaryo

Sheba Youth Foundation

Shining Star educational organization of Afghanistan

Social Development Hodeida Girls Foundation

Solutions for a Small Planet

SOS Children's Villages Palestine

Study sky academy

SUDS - International association of solidarity and cooperation

Syrian American Medical Society

Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).

Syrians for Truth and Justice

Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights

Tanzania Community Health Information and Support

Terre des Hommes Italia

Terre des hommes Foundation Lausanne

The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation

The Episcopal Church

The Foundation for Middle East Peace

The Khalifa Ihler Institute

The Mosque Cares | Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed

The Palestinian Return Centre

UJFP ACAT

UK-Palestine Mental Health Network

United Against Inhumanity

United Nations Association - UK

University Network for Human Rights

UOSSM International

US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)

Vento di Terra

Viva Salud

Vrede vzw

War Child Sweden

War Child Holland

War Child UK

War on Want

Welfare Association (UK)

WESPAC Foundation, Inc.

WeWorld

WeWorld - Member of ChildFund Alliance

Womankind Worldwide

Women for Peace

Women for Women International

Women in Black Vienna

Women Political Alliance - Kenya

Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)

Women’s Institute for Leadership Development

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom UK

Women's International Peace Centre

Womens Refugee Commission

Worldwide Women's Forum

Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation

Youth Vision Society

Youths Volunteering for Sustainable Development (YOVSUD)

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