Open call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and further loss of innocent lives

We have witnessed unfathomable death and destruction in the Gaza Strip and Israel. Thousands of people have been killed, injured, displaced, and nearly two hundred remain held hostage, including children and elderly.

In Gaza, the UN has said that water, food, fuel, medical supplies, and even body bags, are running out due to the siege. The UN warned that people – particularly young children – will soon start dying of severe dehydration. Neighbourhoods have been destroyed and turned into complete rubble. Palestinians in search of safety have nowhere to go. Many of those who relocated from northern Gaza to the south after the relocation order by the Israeli army were reportedly bombed as they attempted to flee or once they arrived in southern Gaza.  

The events of the last week have led us to the precipice of a humanitarian catastrophe and the world can no longer wait to act. It is our collective responsibility.

On Sunday, October 15th, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator to the Occupied Palestinian Territory appealed to all parties to the conflict, and to Member States with influence, to urgently agree to a humanitarian ceasefire.

Today, we put our voices together and call on all Heads of State, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground, to prioritize the preservation of human life above all else. During this ceasefire, we call on all parties to unconditionally:

1. Facilitate the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies, fuel, and the resumption of electricity and internet to Gaza, in addition to safe passage of humanitarian and medical staff  
2. Free all civilian hostages, especially children and elderly
3. Allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN facilities, schools, hospitals, and health facilities in northern Gaza and commit to protecting them along with the civilians and staff inside them at all times
4. Rescind orders by the Government of Israel for civilians to depart northern Gaza
5. Allow patients in critical condition to be medically evacuated for urgent care

The UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and all world leaders with influence must take immediate action to ensure a ceasefire comes into effect. It remains our only option to avert further loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe. Anything less will forever be a stain on our collective conscience.

Civilians are not bargaining chips. Families need a chance to bury and mourn their dead. The cycle of violence against innocent civilians needs to stop.

Signatories

11.11.11
38 Degrees
50:50 NI
ABCD Bethlehem
Abductees Mothers Association
ACAT France
ACTION AGAINST HUNGER
Action Corps
Action For Humanity
ActionAid International
Africans Rising
Afro-Middle East Centre
Agriculture Developmrnt Associations PARC
Ajyal Foundation for Education
Al Basma Club for the Disabled
Alliance Internationale -AIDL
Alquds center for Political Studies
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action)
Americares
Amos Trust
Anera
AOI
Arab foundation for civil society and human rights
Arab NGO Network for Development
Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz
Asociación Otra Escuela
Association Ifriqiya
Association of War Affected Women
ASSOPACEPALESTINA
Avaaz
Baptist Union of Wales
Belgian Academics and Artists for Palestine
bina
Bond, the UK network for INGOs
Broederlijk Delen
Bytes For All, Pakistan
Caesar Families Association
CAFOD
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
CARAS
Care International
Carolina Peace Center
CCFD-Terre Solidaire
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Center for Human Rights in Iran
Center for Peace Education, Miriam College
Centre for human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED)
Centre for Peace Research and Advocacy -CPRA
CESVI
cfd - The feminist Peace Organisation
Change Horizons Forum
ChildFund Alliance
Christian Aid
Christian Aid Ireland
Church and Peace - Ecumenical peace church network in Europe
Church World Service
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
CIDSE
CISP
CISS - COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE SUD SUD
City of Sanctuary Sheffield
CIVICUS
CNCD-11.11.11
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific
Coexist Community kitchen CIC
Committee to Protect Journalists
COPE Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti
COSPE
Cotidiana Mujer AFM
Council for Arab-British Understanding
Council on American-Islamic Relations
Counterpoints Arts
CRIC - Centro Regionale d'Intervento per la Cooperazione ETS
Culturel Center Beethoven Bettounssi
DanChurchAid
DanChurchAid
Danish Refugee Council
Daraj Media
DC Peace Team
Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedom
Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
Democracy School
Denis Hurley Peace Institute
Diakonia
Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality
Educo Member of ChildFund Alliance
EL SPACE
Embrace the Middle East
English for Action (EFA) London
Entraide & Fraternité
Episcopal Relief & Development
Escola de Cultura de Pau (School for a Culture of Peace)
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor
European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (ECR2P)
European Network on Statelessness
Fédération Internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH)
Feminist Task Force
Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid
Foro Ciudadano Relaciones Celac-UE
Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)
France Palestine Mental Health Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Friends of Nablus and Surrounding areas (FONSA)
Fundación Cultura de Paz
FUNDACIÓN MUNDUBAT
Futuro en Común
Gandhi Development Trust Phoenix Settlement Trust
Gender Action for Peace and Security
Gender Advisory Team
Genera: Red de mujeres feministas por la equidad de género en el desarrollo
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Global Communities
Global Justice Center
Global Justice Now
Global Link
Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
Global Rights
GPPAC Pacific-Pacific Women Mediators Network
Haliéus
Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion
Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights
Health Poverty Action
HEKS/EPER – Swiss Church Aid
Helen Suzman Foundation
HelpAge Interational
HIAS
Human Life Foundation for Development and Relief
Human Rights & Democracy Media Center ‎‏“‏SHAMS‏"‏
Human Rights Sentinel
Humans for Rights Network
ICNA
ICNA Council for Social Justice
ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICNA CSJ)
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation
IM Swedish Development Partner
Ina autra senda - Swiss Friends of Combatants for Peace
Innovation for Change South Asia
Institute for Security Studies
International Federation for Human Rights
International Rescue Committee
INTERSOS
IPMHN Ireland Palestine Mental Health Network
Islamic Center of Detroit
Islamic Relief
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK- UK
Israelisches Komitee gegen Hauszerstörungen (ICAHD) Germany
Jewish Network for Palestine
Jewish Voice for Democracy and Justice in Israel/Palestine jvjp, Switzerland
Jewish Voice for Peace Albuquerque
Jews against the Occupation Sydney
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
Jusoor Center for Studies and Development
Kairos Palestine
Kairos Palestine Sweden
Kenya Human Rights Commission
KURVE Wustrow - Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action e.V.
La Coordinadora de ONGD -España
Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
Liberian Energy Network
Ligue Algérienne de Défense des Droits de l'Homme - LADDH
Lutheran World Federation
MADRE
Marib Girls Foundation
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
MDM Network
Medact
Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
medico international
medico international schweiz
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
Mercy Corps
Mercy-USA for Aid and Development
Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict - MENAPPAC
Middle East Children's Alliance
Migrant Roots Media
Min Haqi Foundation to empower women politically and economically
Misereor
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Justice and Peace Centre (Australian Province)
Mouvement Social
Musaala Organization for Human Rights
Muslim Aid
Muslim Legal Fund of America
Mwatana for Human Rights
Naseef Muallem
National Cancer Control Foundatin - Yemen
Network of the independent Commission for Human rights in North Africa CIDH AFRICA
NGO SPES
NGOs Platform of Saida - Tajamoh
Nobel Women’s Initiative
Nonviolence Network in the Arab Countries
Nonviolent Peaceforce
Nophotozone
North American Imams Fellow
North West Migrants Forum
Northern Friends Peace Board
Norwegian Church Aid
Norwegian Refugee Council
Oxfam
Palestinian Human Rights Organisation "PHRO"
PAX
Pax Christi Australia
Pax Christi International
Pax Christi USA
Peace Committee, 15th St. Friends Meeting, NYC
Peace Direct
Peace Organization for Peaceful Coexistence
Peace Watch Switzerland
Peacemaker Trust
Permanent Peace Movement
Piattaforma OSC italiane in Medio Oriente e Mediterraneo
Plan International USA
Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine
PREMIERE URGENCE INTERNATIONALE
Première Urgence Internationale
Project on Middle East Democracy
Protection Approaches
PVE for Peace
Rebuilding Alliance
Reclaim The Sea
RefuAid
Refugee Support Group
ReThinking Foreign Policy
Revista La Mar de Onuba
Right to Movement Palestine
Romanian Peace Institute - PATRIR
Roshanka
Sabeel
Sabeel Kairos Norway
Sabeel-Kairos UK
Salam For Yemen
SALAM NGO
SAM Organization for Rights and Libertie
Sanad alBasra Organization for Human Rights
Save the Children
SB Overseas Soutien Belge
Schengen Peace Foundation
Search for Common Ground
Secours Islamique France (SIF)
SEEN.TV
Seenaryo
Sheba Youth Foundation
Shining Star educational organization of Afghanistan
Shma Koleinu - Alternative Jewish Voices of NZ
Social Development Hodeida Girls Foundation
Solutions for a Small Planet
SOS Children's Villages Palestine
STOPAIDS
Study sky academy
SUDS - International association of solidarity and cooperation
Syrian American Medical Society
Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).
Syrians for Truth and Justice
Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights
Tanzania Community Health Information and Support
Terre Des Hommes Foundation Lausanne
Terre des Hommes Italia
The Center for Mind Body Medicine
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
The Episcopal Church
The Foundation for Middle East Peace
The Khalifa Ihler Institute
The Mosque Cares | Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed
The Palestinian Return Centre
The Pickwell Foundation
The United Church of Canada
the3million
UK-Palestine Mental Health Network
UN Association of San Diego
UN Youth Association of Romania - Cluj Branch
United Against Inhumanity
United Nations Association - UK
University Network for Human Rights
UOSSM International
US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)
Vento di Terra
Viva Salud
Vrede vzw
War Child Holland
War Child Sweden
War Child UK
War on Want
Welfare Association (UK)
WESPAC Foundation, Inc.
WeWorld - Member of ChildFund Alliance
Womankind Worldwide
Women for Peace
Women for Women International
Women in Black Vienna
Women Political Alliance - Kenya
Women’s Institute for Leadership Development
Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom UK
Women's International Peace Centre
Womens Refugee Commission
World Student Christian Federation
Worldwide Women's Forum
Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation
Youth Vision Society
Youths Volunteering for Sustainable Development (YOVSUD)