Source: Quakers in Britain / CAFOD

Quakers in Britain, CAFOD, SCIAF and Christian Aid have joined around 30 other charities calling on the UK government to take meaningful action to stop any further attacks on Rafah in Southern Gaza by the Israeli military.

On Monday, the Israeli military issued relocation orders to people sheltering in parts of Rafah. Israeli tanks have entered the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, blocking completely the passage for people and humanitarian aid.

Text of Statement

London, 7 May 2024.

The UK Government has repeatedly asked Israel not to unleash a slaughter in Rafah, Gaza.

Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron is “very concerned about what is happening in Rafah” and knows “it is impossible to fight a war amongst all these people. There is nowhere for them to go.”

Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell thinks that, “an Israeli incursion will struggle to be compliant with international law.”

Middle East Minister, Lord Ahmad said that, “the fighting must stop now, in order to get the hostages home.”

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister acknowledges that, “too many innocent civilians have died in Gaza.”

David Cameron also asked Israel for a ‘Plan B’ for Rafah to ensure, “people can achieve safety, get food, medicine and water, and that people are kept safe.”

They have been ignored by Israel.

Yesterday, the Israeli military issued relocation orders to people sheltering in parts of Rafah, the first step towards a full-scale invasion that will most likely kill thousands of civilians. The area people are being directed to is already overstretched and lacks the capacity and resources to accommodate the number of people seeking refuge. The relocation orders lack guarantees of safety and the right to return, which risk violating International law.

In the last 12 hours, Israel has intensely bombed Rafah, including civilian homes and areas marked as safe. This morning, Israeli tanks entered the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, blocking completely the passage for people and humanitarian aid.

There are no safe spaces in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly attacked so-called ‘safe zones’, killing displaced people. Any claims from Israel that civilians can be safely relocated have no credibility.

The failure of our leaders to back words with meaningful action is glaring. As the 1.4 million people in Rafah face attacks that our leaders know would be catastrophic, they must finally act to stop the slaughter.

The UK must work urgently to stop any further assault on Rafah from going ahead, demand an immediate lasting ceasefire, resume funding to UNRWA, and suspend arms sales to Israel for as long as there is a risk they may be used to violate international law.

A ceasefire is the only way to stop the death and destruction, get more aid to those who desperately need it, and safely release the hostages.

There is no Plan B for the people in Rafah.

Signed:

1. Action For Humanity

2. ActionAid UK

3. Amos Trust

4. Bond

5. CAFOD

6. Care International UK

7. Christian Aid

8. Council for Arab-British Understanding

9. Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland

10. Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)

11. Humanity & Inclusion

12. Humanity First UK

13. International Rescue Committee UK

14. Interpal

15. Islamic Relief UK

16. Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights

17. Link Education International.

18. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

19. Mercy Corps Europe

20. Omega Research Foundation

21. Oxfam GB

22. Peace Direct

23. Plan International UK

24. Quakers in Britain

25. Sabeel-Kairos UK

26. Save the Children UK

27. SCIAF

28. SOS Children’s Villages UK

29. Trócaire

30. War on Want

31. Welfare Association

EAPPI Action – Urge your MP to take urgent action to stop further attacks on Rafah: www.eyewitnessblogs.com/no-to-rafah-invasion/

CAFOD Action – Write to your MP: Stop Arming Israel

Source: CBCEW/ICN

Father Gabriel Romanelli, Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza, has been in London during a week-long visit to the United Kingdom, facilitated by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

An Argentinian priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), on Tuesday he met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Justin Welby, at Lambeth Palace. He has also met with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark and Bishop Nicholas Hudson, the new Chair of the International Affairs Department and Chair of the Holy Land Coordination.

Father Romanelli has also had meetings with Christian charities and organisations devoted to alleviating the suffering of the peoples of the Holy Land.

On Tuesday, 23 April, Bishop Hudson accompanied Father Romanelli to the Houses of Parliament to brief MPs and shed light on the challenges faced by Christians in the Holy Land following the 7 October Hamas terror attack and the subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip by Israel.

The cross-party group of MPs and Peers highlighted the ongoing work of Parliament in trying to get more humanitarian aid delivered to the people of Gaza.

Despite being stranded in Jerusalem due to the conflict, Father Romanelli has maintained constant communication with his parishioners. He is regularly in contact with Pope Francis, who shows a deep ongoing prayerful concern for those sheltering in the compound of the Holy Family, and has explained that after several months of war, the people are “tired, sad, and heartbroken”.

JOIN US TO PRAY AND MARCH FOR PEACE IN GAZA SATURDAY 27TH APRIL 2024, 11.45AM

Source: Christian Aid

More than 60 Christian, Muslim, Jewish and secular charities have signed the following open letter to MPs and government ministers urging them to vote for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of an SNP motion in Parliament today (21 February). They write:

Dear Members of Parliament,

As humanitarian, human rights and campaigning agencies, many of us with teams operating in Gaza and the West Bank, we are writing to draw your urgent attention to the critical situation in Gaza. As you may be aware, there will be a vote tomorrow (Wednesday 21 February 2024) in the House of Commons regarding this matter. We, along with 71% of the UK public, urge you to support the motion for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to benefit everyone in Israel and Palestine, facilitate the provision of adequate humanitarian assistance, and the release of hostages, and curtail the risk of regional conflict amid multiple strikes in several countries.

In Gaza, the ongoing conflict has resulted in unfathomable death and destruction. At least 28,576 Palestinians have been killed, while thousands remain missing under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The humanitarian situation is dire. For 135 days, the UN and NGOs have warned of a shortage of medical supplies and clean water, overcrowded shelters, widespread food insecurity, and a collapsing healthcare system and spread of diseases among the displaced civilians, resulting in catastrophic health indicators and urgent humanitarian needs. Nearly every child is at imminent risk of starvation and malnutrition, women resort to using scraps of tent in place of period products and go weeks without showering, and surgeons are operating on patients without sufficient anaesthesia. Unexploded ordnance resulting from the bombardment poses a serious risk both to civilians and humanitarian aid workers.

Humanitarian response agencies need to not only restore but significantly scale up the delivery of vital health, education, mental health, protection, and livelihoods services. This includes vital programming to support the unique and urgent needs of women and men, boys and girls, mainstreaming inclusion of people with disabilities, older people, and others disproportionately affected by the crisis. This is not possible under bombardment. We need a lasting ceasefire, not ‘pauses’. Without a lasting ceasefire, humanitarian organisations cannot re-establish principled operations on the necessary scale, and there will be further loss of life.

It is imperative that the UK Government takes immediate action to support an immediate and permanent ceasefire, for which there is growing international consensus.

An immediate and permanent ceasefire will halt the cycle of violence, facilitate the release of all hostages, allow for the restoration of essential services, allow for international humanitarian assistance to reach those in need, and provide an opportunity for dialogue and negotiation towards a lasting peace that benefits everyone in the region.

We cannot afford to delay any longer. Private diplomacy and cautious statements are not enough – stronger action and accountability needs to be applied or the humanitarian catastrophe will likely surpass even the horrors we have seen over the last four months.

We urge you to support the motion for an immediate ceasefire.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to your support and swift action.

Signed:

1. Action Against Hunger
2. Action For Humanity
3. ActionAid UK
4 Age International
5. Amnesty International UK
6. Amos Trust
7. Bond
8. Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)
9. CAFOD
10. CARE International UK
11. Christian Aid
12. Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK)
13. Convivencia Alliance
14. Development Initiatives
15. Elrha
16. Embrace the Middle East
17. European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
18. Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)
19. Greenpeace UK
20. Humanity & Inclusion UK
21. Inminds Human Rights Group
22. International Alert
23. International Health Partners (IHP)
24. International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
25. International Rescue Committee UK
26. Islamic Relief UK
27. Jewish Network for Palestine
28. Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
29. Mercy Corps
30. Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
31. Minority Rights Group
32. Muslim Aid
33. Muslim Community Helpline
34. Muslim Hands
35. Na’amod
36. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
37. Omega Research Foundation
38. Oxfam GB
39. Peace Direct
40. Peacemaker Trust
41. Penny Appeal
42. Plan International UK
43. Protection Approaches
44. Quakers in Britain
45. Resistance Kitchen
46. Sabeel-Kairos UK
47. Saferworld
48. Save the Children UK
49. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)
50. Scotland’s International Development Alliance
51. Stamp Out Poverty
52. Tearfund
53. Trócaire
54. The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK)
55. UK-Palestine Mental Health Network
56. United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK)
57. War Child
58. War on Want
59. Welfare Association
60. Womankind Worldwide
61. Women for Women International
62. Women’s Platform

If you haven’t written to your MP yet and would like to – see www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/gaza-ceasefire-contact-your-local-politician