ActionAid is horrified by the unprecedented order to expel 1.1 million Palestinians from Northern Gaza
PRESS RELEASE
13 October 2023
ActionAid is horrified by the unprecedented order to expel 1.1 million Palestinians from Northern Gaza
As reports come in of an order shared with the United Nations for Palestinians, humanitarian staff, and medical personnel to move from their homes and communities within the next 24 hours, ActionAid warns of an impending humanitarian disaster and calls for an immediate cessation of bombings of civilians, as per international humanitarian law.
“Forcing 1.1 million people – half the population – to move immediately will cause a humanitarian crisis beyond our worst nightmares. Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. This rapid movement will cause family separations and those most vulnerable will be left behind to face unimaginable distress. How can pregnant women move? Or parents with children?” said Wisam Shweiki - Head of Programmes for ActionAid Palestine.
He continued,
“It will be an incredible burden on local infrastructure in the southern parts of Gaza where already the water, power and food supplies have been cut off. Where will people stay? What will they eat? How will they survive? The borders are closed, and we have not been allowed to bring in aid or urgent medical supplies. The situation is desperate and inhumane. How much pain must be inflicted and what will be left of Gaza when we wake from this nightmare?”
[ENDS]
Notes to editor
Spokespeople are available:
Nadim Zaghloul - ActionAid Palestine Interim Country Director & Head of Operation
Wisam Shweiki - Head of Programmes at ActionAid Palestine, in the West Bank
Cristina Muñoz - Director at ActionAid Spain, in Madrid
Gemma Cosialls - Country Manager at ActionAid Spain in Jerusalem
Razmi Farook - Director of Asia and Humanitarian at ActionAid International, in Colombo
Contact the ActionAid press office on media-enquiries@actionaid.org; +44 7586107955 or +263776665065.
About ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working with more than 41 million people living in more than 71 of the world’s poorest countries. We want to see a just, fair, and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression. We work to achieve social justice and gender equality and to eradicate poverty.
ActionAid has been working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) for many years supporting Palestinian people living without access to basic services and the most fundamental human rights and freedoms.
