The nightmare returns to Gaza - Diakonia demands a permanent ceasefire

Just two months after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, Gaza was once again shaken by Israeli airstrikes. Hundreds of people were killed, many of them children. The civilian population in Gaza has already endured immense hardship. Now, the suffering deepens further.

Diakonia, together with other members of the ACT Alliance, condemns the violence and the killing of civilians.

We urge governments, humanitarian organisations, churches, and all people of goodwill, to take immediate action and apply maximum international pressure to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and call for an immediate lasting ceasefire. We call for the obligations and duties under international law to be fulfilled and for renewed commitment to the negotiation process to ensure the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees in accordance with the principles of justice and human rights.

The failure of the international community to halt these crimes will only deepen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and fuel further destruction and bloodshed. The shattering of the ceasefire agreement is a gross violation of human rights and in contravention of international humanitarian law. We call upon the international community to stand together with the ACT Palestine Forum and demand urgent and concrete steps to end the new escalation and save the remaining innocent lives trapped under relentless bombardment and siege.

There is no justification for the ongoing bloodshed. A political and diplomatic solution must be pursued with urgency to prevent further loss of life and ensure the protection of civilians. We call on all stakeholders to prioritise peace, uphold international law, and work urgently towards a just and lasting peace.

Read the full statement here:

Diakonia has also signed a statement together with other organizations working in Palestine, in the so-called AIDA network.
Read the statement here: