The International Commission “Hashd “ issues an urgent call to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and war crimes.
Date: October 14, 2023
Urgent Appeal to Stop the Israeli Aggression on Gaza and War Crimes
We call upon you to take all forms of solidarity with Gaza and work to halt the aggression, war crimes, and acts of genocide being committed by Israeli occupation forces. These actions have so far resulted in the killing and martyrdom of 2,290 individuals and the injury of more than 9,000, with nearly half of the victims being children and women, including journalists and first responders. This includes the destruction of residential areas and the homes of citizens without prior warning, leading to the annihilation of entire families. Furthermore, there has been ongoing shelling and destruction of thousands of residential units, buildings, and residential towers, as well as the targeting of governmental and civil structures, schools, universities, civilian infrastructure, water wells, shops, and economic facilities. There have also been threats of attacks near hospitals, with demands for their evacuation. Amidst these continuous massacres and brutal shelling, nearly a million citizens have been displaced from their homes, especially in the northern Gaza Strip and the city of Gaza. Approximately half a million of them are now in schools and shelters, including those run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has been unable to provide drinking water and relief for them. Some schools that house civilians have even been targeted.
We also call on you to urgently intervene in all possible ways and take the necessary measures to ensure condemnation of the use of internationally prohibited weapons in the Israeli aggression against civilians and civilian structures, as well as other retaliatory acts and collective punishments on the people of Gaza. These include imposing a complete siege, cutting off electricity, water, and communication services from the first day of the aggression, restricting the entry of medical supplies and equipment, humanitarian aid, and the necessary fuel to operate power stations and generators in hospitals, as well as ambulances and civil defense vehicles. These actions are in direct violation of international human rights standards and the rules of international humanitarian law, including the provisions of the Hague and Geneva Conventions. Serious efforts must be made to ensure that the Israeli occupation authorities respect international law and the provisions of the Geneva Conventions of 1947, in order to halt war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli military forces in Gaza and to prevent the escalation of the aggression.
Given the failure and bias of the United States in supporting the political, military, and financial occupation, as well as the support from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy, who have displayed clear favoritism towards the Israeli occupation state, it is imperative that the rest of the countries and the United Nations take urgent steps to open humanitarian corridors and apply pressure to stop the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of halting the aggression.
Therefore, we call upon the free people of the world, nations, and governments to stand with the victims of human rights violations and advocate for them, without differentiating between the victims and the oppressors. The root of the problem lies in the long-term Israeli occupation of the Palestinian people, the perpetration of a blockade and continuous aggression on Gaza over the past seventeen years, with the blockade still ongoing. This has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as the Israeli occupation state and its fascist government continue to expand colonial settlement, engage in civil oppression, seize holy places, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque, practice racial segregation, field executions, aggression, and collective punishment, as well as the conquest of cities and Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank. This includes the demolition of homes and the transformation of West Bank cities into ghettos and the persecution of prisoners in Israeli jails, in a manner that prioritizes human and legal considerations over political considerations for the international system, including the cessation of double standards that give the green light for the occupation to continue its crimes against the Palestinians.
Finally, we call upon you to take action now, as it may be too late tomorrow. The hand of the Israeli occupation authorities may be unleashed to expand the aggression, displace Palestinians, and create a new catastrophe, in addition to persisting in committing war crimes and ongoing acts of genocide in Gaza. It will cost the lives of thousands of innocent civilians and exacerbate the suffering of the besieged population in Gaza.
We urge you to pressure for the protection of civilians and civilian structures, especially hospitals, and prevent their targeting. We also urge the immediate establishment of a humanitarian corridor to evacuate the wounded, deliver medical and relief supplies, and provide the necessary fuel to operate power stations and generators in hospitals, ambulances, and rescue vehicles, with the ultimate goal of halting the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Please adopt this appeal as an individual or on behalf of your organization.
