Statement from Refugees International
Yesterday, Israel and Hamas announced a temporary ceasefire and a pathway for the exchange of hostages in return for a surge in humanitarian aid, relief supplies, and fuel, along with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the return of internally displaced Palestinians to their homes.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas offers a reprieve from the relentless and indiscriminate Israeli military assaults that have devastated Palestinian civilians for the last 15 months, and an end to the terrifying ordeal for the hostages and their families. The Israeli military has killed an estimated 47,000 Palestinians to date, with potentially tens of thousands more deaths that have not yet been recorded. Thousands more are missing and injured. The initial six-week pause outlined in the agreement must evolve into a permanent ceasefire–one that provides the necessary space for sustained recovery, long-term solutions to the root causes of this crisis, and adherence to international law by both Israel and Hamas.
The scale of the assault on and destruction of Gaza’s civilian population and infrastructure is unprecedented. The systematic targeting of essential infrastructure and restrictions on critical humanitarian supplies have unleashed famine, disease, and untold suffering. All warring parties must commit to the immediate and unconditional protection of civilians, an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure, and unimpeded humanitarian access.
The deal, while a start, does not go far enough in outlining the explicit protections Israel and Hamas are obligated to provide Palestinian civilians. We are particularly concerned that the agreement ties the delivery of humanitarian aid and civilian protections—which are obligations under international law—to both sides’ compliance with prisoner exchanges. Every ceasefire attempt between Israel and Hamas has ended in violations, and this should not be permitted to again imperil humanitarian action.
Humanitarian aid is a right under international law, not a bargaining tool. Humanitarian access must be ensured under any scenario, and the Israeli government must allow unimpeded humanitarian aid and access into all parts of Gaza, through all functional border crossings. Israel’s well-documented practice of restricting critical aid must be reversed, and the international community must hold Israel accountable and ensure the unconditional, uninterrupted flow of aid to Gaza.
Israeli forces have forcibly displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza. Their withdrawal from populated areas, while necessary, is not sufficient to address the plight of hundreds of thousands who cannot return to homes in northern Gaza and other areas systematically depopulated by Israeli military operations. Refugees International calls on Israel to guarantee the freedom of movement for all Palestinians, including access to areas it has unilaterally designated as “military zones.” They must also release Palestinian doctors and aid providers taken and forcibly disappeared after being captured during Israel’s sieges of Gaza’s major hospitals and clinics.
This is a hopeful moment in a conflict that has seen few of them. But it is a midpoint, not an endpoint. All international partners must deploy all tools of diplomatic leverage to hold the warring parties accountable for fulfilling these terms and producing a definitive end to this horrific war.
