With the welcome news of a ceasefire agreed in Gaza, humanitarian organisations have responded with tentative optimism but acknowledge that the need for support remains overwhelming.
SIDA welcomes the temporary calm that people in Gaza have been able to enjoy since the ceasefire started, just as we welcome the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and the relief that brings to families. The reports of hundreds of trucks of humanitarian aid crossing into the Gaza strip is a positive change just as it is a reminder of the hardship on the ground. We call on all concerned to ensure that this ceasefire endures and the first steps towards a just peace can start.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said:
“We welcome the announcement about the ceasefire in Gaza. Many have been hoping for this moment for the past 15 months. This agreement will finally bring much needed respite for the people of Gaza and the release of hostages. What’s needed now is rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access and supplies to respond to the tremendous suffering caused by this war.”
British Red Cross published the following:
“This ceasefire is an important moment and a chance to end the relentless suffering across the region. It will provide hope and respite to people who have been living through unimaginable pain and trauma.
The humanitarian needs in Gaza remain catastrophic. The Palestine Red Crescent Society along with the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have been on the ground from the moment the conflict escalated, providing lifesaving healthcare and aid.
It is vital we now use this moment to ensure a far greater and more consistent flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps said:
“This agreement offers a long-awaited glimmer of hope to millions of Palestinians who have endured over 15 months of devastating conflict, but the appalling suffering will persist unless there is an urgent and sustained scale-up of vital aid and the unblocking of critical services, including water and fuel, to Gaza.”
Oxfam GB Chief Executive, Halima Begum, said:
“It is an enormous relief that even an interim ceasefire has been agreed. This pause in hostilities is beyond overdue. For 15 months Israel has waged a relentless assault on the people of Gaza while its hostages have remained in unlawful detention. Oxfam colleagues and partners have worked around the clock to help support many of the over two million people in Gaza who have been systematically deprived of the essentials to live, with food and water being used as weapons of war, schools, hospitals and entire communities being razed to the ground and deliveries of aid constantly withheld.
“With all of Gaza at risk of famine, one of the key priorities must be the immediate and unrestricted flow of life-saving aid to reach those in need, as well as the safe release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.”
Islamic Relief released the following statement:
News of an agreement between Hamas and Israel is a rare moment of hope after more than 15 months of unprecedented and relentless atrocities – but the big test will be what happens next, whether it is adhered to, and whether a temporary pause becomes permanent. Lasting peace will not be possible without an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
William Bell, head of Middle East policy and advocacy at Christian Aid, said
“We welcome the ceasefire in Gaza, but a sustainable peace is not possible until the illegal occupation of Gaza, and the West Bank – including East Jerusalem – is ended and Palestinians and Israelis are treated as equals.
World leaders need to immediately support a locally led reconstruction plan for Gaza to provide hope for the future.
At long last it offers people in Gaza respite from the relentless bombardment, displacement and deprivation they have endured for the last 15 months. It also means the welcome release of hostages and respite for their families after long months of torment.”