The UK must follow up UN ceasefire vote with urgent action to end violence and hunger in Gaza.
Responding to the House of Commons’ Statement today on yesterday’s UN Security Council vote, Julia Rosell Jackson, Senior Humanitarian Advocacy Adviser – Women's Rights at ActionAid UK, said:
“While we welcome the UK’s vote in favour of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza at the UN Security Council yesterday, it cannot claim the moral high ground without meaningfully doing all it can to deter the ongoing assault on civilians and prevent many more dying from starvation and malnutrition.
“Last week, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that 70% of people are on the brink of famine in the north while every day we hear reports from colleagues about mothers running out of animal feed to eat and caesareans being conducted without anaesthesia. Statements alone have failed to end the senseless killing of Palestinians and the destruction of homes and vital infrastructure. Instead of pulling the plug on its funding to UNRWA, the UK should immediately cease arms transfers to Israel to show substance to its vote.
“By voting for a temporary ceasefire at the UN Security Council yesterday, the UK acknowledged that the horror in Gaza must come to an end. Although this is an important first step, it must be followed up with urgent action. While a temporary pause for the month of Ramadan would offer some respite, a mere two weeks of calm before the bombs start falling again will not provide enough time for life-saving aid to be delivered at scale nor see the killing end for good. The UK must demand a permanent ceasefire now.”
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Julia Rosell Jackson is available as a spokesperson, please contact the press office to arrange.