CARE joins 62 NGOs urging MPs to support the motion for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza

20 February 2024

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62 NGOs, including CARE International UK, have signed an open letter urging MPs to support the motion for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and Israel in the House of Commons tomorrow (Wednesday 21st February):

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. The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law.

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

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