October 7, 2024; unbelievably one year has passed, one year in which we have been devastated, horrified, shocked by the unstopped aggression of the state of Israel, by the continued support of the US, the European Union and their allies to the onslaught against the people of Palestine and now Lebanon. 

It’s unimaginable—how did we let this happen? How have we reached the devastating figure of 186,000 possible deaths in Gaza, as reported by the Lancet on 19 June 2024¹ (estimation from the recorded 37 396 people killed)?

Have you seen the staggering numbers?

• Hundreds of pages listing the names of young children slaughtered — 33% of all victims in Gaza, with the combined number of women and children making 70% of those massacred. 
• 10% of Gaza’s population — around 200,000 people — killed, injured, missing, or detained².
• 80% of Gaza’s agricultural land destroyed and rendered unusable³.
• More than 2 million Palestinians are without protection, food, water, sanitation, shelter, health care, education, electricity and fuel⁴ 
• 175 journalists and media workers targeted and assassinated in Palestine⁵.
• More than 300 aid workers killed⁶.
• 226 UN staff killed, buildings destroyed and the UN Secretary General banned from entering⁷. 
• Ongoing settler violence in the West Bank, unchecked and unpunished⁸.
• Daily incursions by the IDF, leading to indiscriminate killings, property destruction, and lockdowns across West Bank villages, towns, and cities⁹.
• Torture, sexual, and physical abuse of thousands of Palestinians forcibly detained with, 3600 still held in Israeli jails under administrative detention — without charge or trial — this systematically endorsed and justified by Israeli officials¹⁰.
• Suffocation of the Palestinian economy by the Israeli state by holding the tax revenues of the Palestinian Authority¹¹. 
• The absence of any voices of reason or peace inside the Israeli side to call for ceasefire, including the Israeli media, which plays a criminal role by dehumanising the Palestinians and covering-up all the crimes committed by the  army¹².

The CCIVS Palestine Solidarity Working Group strongly condemns the acts of violence perpetrated by the Israeli government, leading to the genocide¹³ of the Palestinian people. These acts are not only in grave violation of international law but also serve to escalate the conflict further, pushing the region into deeper turmoil. The attacks on Lebanon, following the ongoing collective punishment in Gaza and the West Bank, have amplified the suffering of civilians, including women and children, and further threaten peace and stability in the region.

CCIVS and SCI stand resolute in our commitment to the values of peace, justice, and human rights. 

In light of these grave developments, we continue to make the same demands: 

1. An Immediate and Lasting Ceasefire: All hostilities, particularly against civilian populations, must cease immediately in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon. There can be no justification for the indiscriminate use of force, and all efforts must be directed toward halting the violence.
2. Sanctions on Israel: We call on the international community to impose sanctions on Israel in response to its continued violations of international law, including the illegal occupation of Palestinian and Lebanese territories, its blockade on Gaza, and its recent attacks on Lebanon. Accountability must be enforced to prevent further war crimes, crimes against humanity and a complete erosion of international law.
3. Humanitarian Aid and Support: We demand the immediate and unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the affected areas in Gaza and Lebanon. Essential goods and services, such as water, electricity, and medical supplies, must be restored to prevent further loss of life.
4. A Two-Way Arms Embargo: We reiterate the need for a global arms embargo on all parties fuelling the conflict. The trading and transfer of weapons, surveillance technology, and military infrastructure that profits from the ongoing violence must come to an end.
5. A Genuine Peace Process: All parties must commit to a genuine peace process that addresses the root causes of the conflict, including the recognition of Palestinian rights, the end of the illegal occupation, the ending of illegal settlements and the creation of conditions for a just and lasting peace in the region.
6. Justice, restitution and reparations for the Palestinian people: In line with the ICJ advisory opinion of 19 July 2024¹⁴

We call upon civil society and governments worldwide to take a firm stance against this aggression, to speak out for peace, and to act in solidarity with those affected. We must stand together to demand justice and ensure that human rights and dignity are upheld for all. Without accountability, there will be no peace.

Sources:

¹ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01169-3/fulltext

² https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6449/Gaza-Genocide-Day-330—31-Aug-2024

³ https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6487/Gaza:-Israel%E2%80%99s-destruction-of-hundreds-of-dunams-of-agricultural-land-is-expression-of-its-insistence-on-committing-genocide

⁴ https://www.un.org/unispal/document/statement-by-iasc-23sept24/

⁵ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/6/palestinian-journalist-19-killed-in-israeli-raid-after-receiving-threats

⁶ https://www.ochaopt.org/content/one-year-unimaginable-suffering-7-october-attack

⁷ https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-27/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-gaza-delivered

⁸ https://www.nrc.no/news/2024/august/west-bank-israeli-settler-violence-triggers-largest-forcible-transfer-since-october-2023/

⁹ https://www.amnesty.org.au/israels-incursion-in-occupied-west-bank/

¹⁰ https://www.btselem.org/publications/202408_welcome_to_hell

¹¹ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/23/why-is-israel-sending-palestinian-taxes-to-norway

¹² https://www.972mag.com/dehumanization-moral-abyss-israelis/

¹³ https://www.un.org/unispal/document/anatomy-of-a-genocide-report-of-the-special-rapporteur-on-the-situation-of-human-rights-in-the-palestinian-territory-occupied-since-1967-to-human-rights-council-advance-unedited-version-a-hrc-55/

¹⁴ https://www.icj-cij.org/case/186