statement about cease fire

A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza was announced yesterday 20th May, as of 02:00 am this morning. It is now fundamental the ceasefire remains sustainable on the longer-term, allowing humanitarian organizations to access and provide an adequate response to the needs of the population, releasing the suffering of the Gazans civilian population and their children in particular.

Although precise assessment of the damages was not possible yet due to the intensity of the hostilities and lack of humanitarian access, we have witnessed the impact on our programs and on our colleagues. It is already clear that long-term support to Gaza will be necessary. The engagement from the international community will be crucial in that sense. While we will respond to the immediate and humanitarian needs, we should also not forget about longer-term consequences those destructions will have on the access to public services and health hazards.

Action against Hunger will scale up its work in Gaza and continue its dedication to protect and respond to the needs of the population in the whole oPt. Our immediate response in Gaza will focus notably on making sure that population can access safe and clean water including sanitation and hygiene facilities while also providing support in food security and livelihood among many other activities. 

Nonetheless, Action against Hunger recalls that while a ceasefire has been agreed in Gaza, we shouldn’t forget about the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Circles of violence must stop and the root causes of the conflict need to be addressed. We call on the international community to continue working with all parties in finding a fair solution allowing everyone to live in peace and dignity.