https://odi.org/en/insights/stop-the-siege-stop-the-starvation-political...
After yesterday’s announcement by Keir Starmer on Palestinian statehood it’s surprising that it isn’t obvious that the rights, protections and security of civilians in Gaza are non-negotiable. The offer of recognition of Palestinian statehood may be a contribution to political negotiations in the longer-term, but does nothing to address the immediate, urgent human misery being experienced on the ground.
Policy-makers have been consistently reluctant to condemn mass atrocities despite the rate of civilian lives lost. The mounting public and political pressure on the UK leader has become increasingly evident, however, a transactional approach which undermines obligations under international law, let alone without clear implementation arrangements, risks weakening the practicality of any agreement reached, as well as the government’s position.
In Gaza, over 60,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel’s military campaign. More than 150 people are reported to have died from starvation so far – 80 of whom are children, in a man-made crisis of Israel’s making.
"...there’s no case of such minutely engineered, closely monitored, precisely designed mass starvation of a population as is happening in Gaza today."
The siege, starvation, and other abuses being inflicted on civilians clearly constitute atrocity crimes under international law.
Dangerous, ineffective actions such as airdrops and militarised distribution sites – which have so far killed over 1,600 people – cannot be a smokescreen to divert attention to the scale of human suffering – or to distract from the urgent, principled humanitarian response that is required.
Humanitarian actors know exactly what’s needed. It’s ‘tragically simple’:
Israel needs to immediately stop hostilities and allow unhindered access to principled humanitarian assistance, through all land routes, at scale, so that all civilians in need can access life-saving humanitarian assistance.
A political process is urgently required that can secure a ceasefire, stem the human suffering, and eventually allow Palestinians to express their right to self-determination, and secure statehood with dignity and protection at its core. This horror is unfolding before our eyes. We are witnessing, in real time, civilians held captive – bombed, attacked, and starved. It must end. Now.
