UK must step up to ensure immediate support for Gaza following ceasefire deal, says ActionAid UK co-CEO.
Hannah Bond, co-CEO of ActionAid, said: “We welcome the ceasefire agreement and the release of Palestinian detainees and Israeli hostages. It is both a tragedy and a profound failure of the international community that this deal was not reached sooner, as it could have spared countless lives. Now that the ceasefire is in place, the UK must urgently step up to ensure that the next steps are taken to provide Gaza with the immediate support it desperately needs.
“First and foremost, immediate and unfettered humanitarian access must be granted, especially to northern Gaza. Supplies of food, fuel, medical resources, and other essentials must be allowed entry without obstruction. The UK must work with international partners to press Israeli authorities to lift the devastating long-term blockade. Without access to crucial humanitarian assistance, the potential impact of this ceasefire will remain severely limited. The catastrophic conditions in Gaza—ranging from disease and near-famine to makeshift shelters—demand not only a ceasefire but also an urgent humanitarian response.
“The UK must use all of its diplomatic leverage to ensure that the reconstruction and peacebuilding process in Gaza places Palestinians at the centre, particularly Palestinian women. As a signatory to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the UK has a responsibility to lead in ensuring that women’s voices are integral to both conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction. Palestinian women must have a seat at the table when decisions about their future are made, and the UK must ensure that this is supported by all parties involved.
“Finally, the UK must work alongside the international community to hold accountable all perpetrators of war crimes and violations of international human rights law during this conflict. This includes unequivocally supporting the arrest warrants for Israeli leaders issued by the ICC for the charge of war crimes and the provisional measures from the ICJ, ensuring that those responsible for these atrocities face justice and that impunity is not tolerated."
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Hannah Bond is available for interview. Please contact the press office to arrange at uk.media@actionaid.org or on 07753 973 486.