Update: The news that at least 50 hostages held by Hamas and 150 Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Israeli jails will be released will be a welcome relief for all those involved and their families. And the announcement of an initial four-day long humanitarian pause is a positive step. But far more action is needed to address ongoing suffering and injustice in Gaza. The international community including Australia must urgently advocate for this truce to evolve into a sustained ceasefire. After four days, we can’t allow bombs to one again be dropped on the people of Gaza; for death and destruction to continue!
With each day that passes the humanitarian catastrophe is getting worse for civilians in Gaza and for the hostages kidnapped by Hamas. The unparalleled escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and other armed groups has taken a devastating toll on civilians in Gaza.
We need to make it clear that Australians support a ceasefire, and want their government to stand with them and call for a sustained ceasefire.
A ceasefire will ensure:
- A stop to unlawful attacks by all parties, halting the mounting death toll in Gaza,
- Enable aid agencies to get life-saving aid, water and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip to address the staggering levels of human suffering. It will allow hospitals to receive life-saving medicines, fuel and equipment they desperately need and to repair damaged wards,
- Provide opportunities to negotiate the release of hostages detained in Gaza,
- For independent international investigations to take place into the war crimes committed by all parties in order to end long-standing impunity.
Serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, by all parties to the conflict continue unabated. In the face of such unfettered devastation and suffering, humanity must prevail.
Your MP is elected to represent you, so it’s important they know that you as a constituent want a ceasefire, and that you want your MP, and your elected representative, to reflect those views in Parliament!
Email your MP and urge them to call for a sustained ceasefire in the outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.