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On Wednesday 24 January 2024, sixteen organisations, including several with branches in Luxembourg (such as Médecins du Monde, Amnesty International and Handicap International) have signed an open call on all States to immediately halt the transfer of weapons, parts and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups.

This call stresses the necessity of stopping the transfer of weapons while there is risk they are used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.

According to the organisations, “Israel’s bombardment and siege are depriving the civilian population of the basics to survive and rendering Gaza uninhabitable. Today, the civilian population in Gaza faces a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented severity and scale.”

The call emphasised that Palestinian armed group-led attacks killed around 1,200 people and took hundreds of Israeli and foreign hostages, including children. They continue to hold more than 130 hostages captive inside Gaza.

The document details how armed groups are continually firing rockets toward population centres in Israel and displacing and threatening the lives and well-being of civilians. It recalls that hostage-taking and indiscriminate attacks are violations of international humanitarian law and “must end immediately”.

The joint statement stresses that, despite humanitarian agencies, human rights groups, United Nations officials, and more than 153 member states having called for an immediate ceasefire, Israel continues to use explosive weapons and munitions in densely populated areas with enormous humanitarian consequences for the people of Gaza.

The document reported that world leaders have called on the Israeli government to reduce civilian casualties, but recent remarks from the UN Secretary-General indicate that military operations in Gaza persist, causing unprecedented levels of casualties. Member states are legally obligated to employ all available tools to ensure better protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law. The humanitarian aid response, crucial for Gaza, has been severely hindered by hostilities, including the shooting of aid convoys, communications blackouts, damaged infrastructure, supply restrictions, a near-complete ban on commercial supplies, and bureaucratic hurdles in aid distribution.

The open call stressed that the “indiscriminate nature” of Israel’s military activity has destroyed a substantial portion of Gaza’s infrastructure, adding that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of the “heightened risk of atrocity crimes” being committed in Gaza and called on all states to prevent such crimes from unfolding. In recent weeks, high-ranking Israeli officials have begun calling for the deportation of Palestinian civilians out of Gaza. The forced transfer within Gaza and deportation of a portion of the population across borders, lacking any guarantees of return, would constitute a serious violation of international law, amounting to an atrocity crime.

The report noted that, in less than four months, over 25,000 Palestinians, including 10,000 children, have been killed, and thousands are presumed dead in Gaza, according to the local Ministry of Health. Over 62,000 people have sustained injuries, with many facing life-changing disabilities. The UN reported the unlawful detention of an unknown number of Palestinian civilians, including children. Despite Israeli directives to flee, Palestinians are killed daily, including fourteen in a recent airstrike near a designated "humanitarian zone." Over 85% of Gaza's population, around 1.9 million people, has been forcibly displaced, facing dire living conditions and disease risks. More than half a million people in Gaza face starvation, and over 90% experience acute food insecurity. Over 70% of homes, schools, and water infrastructure have been destroyed, leaving the population with minimal access to clean water. No fully operational medical facility remains, and partially functioning ones are overwhelmed with trauma cases and shortages. Tragically, over 300 health workers and 167 aid workers in Gaza have lost their lives.

The sixteen signatories stated that they demand an immediate ceasefire and urged all states to cease the transfer of weapons that could be employed for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. They emphasised that the UN Security Council must fulfil its responsibility to uphold global peace and security by implementing measures to stop the transfer of weapons to both the Government of Israel and Palestinian armed groups. Additionally, they stressed the need to prevent the supply of arms that pose a risk of being used in the commission of international crimes, effective immediately.

The signatories are:

  • Federation Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion;
  • War Child Alliance;
  • Christian Aid;
  • Norwegian People’s Aid; 
  • Médecins du Monde International Network;
  • Mennonite Central Committee;
  • medico international;
  • Oxfam; 
  • Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC);
  • Danish Refugee Council;
  • Save the Children; 
  • Plan International;
  • Norwegian Refugee Council;
  • Diakonia;
  • Amnesty International;
  • American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).