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The International Campaign to Save Gaza
Founding Statement
Due to the ongoing genocidal war orchestrated by the Israeli occupation against the people in the Gaza Strip, the casualty count has tragically risen to around 14,000 martyrs, including over 6,000 children and 4,000 women. Furthermore, the destruction of over a quarter of a million residential units has uprooted more than a million residents in northern Gaza. The relentless devastation of crucial life infrastructure for the local population persists, exacerbated by unwavering support for the occupying state from numerous Western countries and the continued rejection of the proposition of a ceasefire.
In response to urgent pleas from the people of Gaza, civil society institutions, and official Palestinian authorities, and acknowledging our historical, legal, humanitarian, national, and moral responsibilities, we, as a coalition of international grassroots organizations and civil institutions in the Arab and Islamic world and worldwide, declare the commencement of the International Campaign to Save Gaza. The campaign aims to mobilize advocacy, relief, and rescue efforts through all available peaceful and legal means. At the forefront of these initiatives is the prompt dispatch of relief ships and medical aid, in coordination with international entities experienced in overseeing relief convoys and humanitarian assistance in compliance with international laws and regulations governing aid delivery during times of conflict. »
The campaign will collaborate and coordinate with all people who wish to contribute to this urgent humanitarian effort, whether in Arab and Islamic countries or elsewhere around the world. It will work closely with grassroots and official entities eager to support Gaza and rescue its residents, including charitable and relief organizations and specialized agencies working to break the siege on Gaza worldwide.
The campaign underscores that its primary objective is the rescue, relief, and delivery of aid to the people in the Gaza Strip. Consequently, the campaign has announced its commencement of the process to purchase a number of cargo ships for transporting relief aid to Gaza. The idea of acquiring small passenger ships is also under consideration. The campaign will promptly initiate the procurement process for the necessary aid, following established procedures to assess the required assistance and determine the most effective means to provide it. Subsequently, the aid will be shipped to the people of Gaza as quickly as possible.
The campaign also affirms that it will simultaneously strive to exert pressure to break the oppressive and unlawful blockade on our people in Gaza, as well as advocating for the opening of crossings and facilitating freedom of movement for Palestinians to and from their homeland.
Furthermore, the campaign announces its commitment to collaborate with relevant official bodies and international and regional organizations to ensure the arrival of aid ships in accordance with procedures and laws governing the entry of humanitarian and relief assistance into the Gaza Strip. This commitment aligns with resolutions issued by the United Nations Security Council on this matter. Notably, Security Council Resolution No. 1860 of 2009 urges the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza, emphasizing unimpeded delivery to the population. Additionally, Security Council Resolution 2712 of 2023 calls for immediate access for humanitarian aid, facilitating the delivery of essential goods and services to civilians, especially children, throughout the Gaza Strip.
The campaign also declares that it will spare no effort to ensure that the aid ships set sail towards Gaza before the end of December this year.
In conclusion, the campaign welcomes the temporary ceasefire brokered under Egyptian and Qatari auspices, with the hope that it will facilitate the entry of all accumulated humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing and put an end to the obstructive policies practiced by the occupying state. The campaign strongly urges the international community to exert pressure on the occupying state to completely cease aggression on the Gaza Strip and hold its leaders accountable for war crimes. The world is called upon to take tangible steps to address the root cause of the conflict, addressing the underlying issue in the region—the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
Preparatory Committee for the International Campaign to Save Gaza
Istanbul, 23-11-2023
