Manchester Amnesty statement on Israel - Palestine

17 October 23

Amnesty International, Manchester Group, calls on our political leaders to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Israel and Gaza. This deepening tragedy requires that governments which have a close relationship with Israel insist that international humanitarian law be respected. Failure will mean even more innocent civilian deaths. The perpetrators must face accountability for war crimes.

Manchester Amnesty condemns the appalling killings and kidnappings by Hamas and other Palestine armed groups. They have flagrantly violated international law and displayed a chilling disregard for life by carrying out cruel and brutal crimes, including mass summary killings, hostage-taking, and launching indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel. Massacring civilians is a war crime and there can be no justification for these reprehensible attacks.

Israel’s massive bombing campaign in Gaza has killed over 2,300 people, more than half of them women and children, and injured more than 8,000. This indiscriminate killing must end. The collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population through restricting water, fuel, food and electricity is a war crime. Israel has a clear obligation under international law to ensure the basic needs of Gaza’s civilian population are met.

Manchester Amnesty calls on Israel and on all Palestinian armed groups to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.

· All civilians who were abducted, including children, must be released immediately.

· Firing of indiscriminate rockets into Israel must cease.

· The indiscriminate bombing and destruction of Gaza must be stopped.

· Collective punishment of the population of Gaza must be ended.

· Forced expulsion of civilians must stop.

· Humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza must be allowed through.

Britain’s political leaders are shirking their legal responsibility to uphold and enforce the Geneva Conventions and a moral responsibility to prevent further war crimes. The protection of all civilians, Israeli and Palestinian, must be prioritised.

We demand that our political leaders take immediate steps to:

· Uphold international humanitarian law and insist that all parties do so

· Press all parties to protect civilians from military action and cease hostilities at once

· Ensure that emergency aid is urgently delivered to Gaza, to help the hundreds of thousands of displaced persons trapped inside the territory

· Require Israel to end its illegal total siege, enabling unrestricted humanitarian access, including deliveries of fuel, medical supplies, food and water to all those in need

We ask our government to support the call by British and international aid agencies to save civilian lives in Gaza now.