The ACT Palestine Forum is appalled, and grief-stricken by the unacceptable attacks being committed against unarmed civilians.
We condemn all violations of international law committed by both sides of the conflict and we deplore the attack that targeted innocent Palestinian civilians seeking refuge in the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on October 17th. An attack on a hospital is a grave and unacceptable violation of International Humanitarian Law and must not be tolerated by the international community. Initial reports by the Palestinian Ministry of Health spoke of more than 500 casualties, including patients, medical personnel, and individuals seeking shelter at the hospital. It is even more heartbreaking that a significant number of the casualties were women and children.
The ACT Palestine Forum expresses deep concern for the loss of innocent lives and the extensive destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, mosques, churches, and private homes. We call on all governments to promptly demand and implement a humanitarian ceasefire and put an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Any attack on civilians is not justified under any circumstance, we also demand accountability. The protection of civilians and the adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL) must be upheld in any conflict. Those who are currently targeting civilians must be held accountable.
The current escalation of violence is intolerable and shows no concern or respect for human life. Thousands of women and men, girls and boys, have been killed on both sides of this conflict so far, and many more have been injured. In Palestine, those injured cannot access proper care, they lack medicines, water, and food. The blocking of humanitarian aid must be revoked, and civilians must be assisted.
The ACT Palestine Forum appeals to the global community to commit to addressing the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while upholding the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights. The ACT Palestine Forums’ mission is to bring an end to the Israeli military occupation, alleviate human suffering, and emphasize the urgent need for an immediate and peaceful resolution to this conflict.
The ACT Palestine Forum urges all members of the ACT Alliance to stand in solidarity with us and join in the call for a three-day period of mourning. The situation is deeply distressing; a mourning period would allow us to honor the victims and express our empathy and concern for those affected. During these challenging times, we must come together to remember and pay our respects to the victims of these attacks and their families. We continue to pray for justice and peace.
