The International Conference on Emergency Humanitarian Response to the Gaza Strip, held in the Dead Sea region, concluded yesterday, Tuesday, and was jointly organized by Jordan, Egypt, and the United Nations, with the participation of leaders of states, heads of government, and international and humanitarian organizations.
The conference discussed ways to strengthen the international community’s response to the humanitarian disaster in the besieged Palestinian Strip, efforts to accelerate the introduction of aid, and determine the types of necessary support.
The leaders of the conference issued a statement at the conclusion of its work, in which they condemned killings, targeting and other harmful acts against civilians.
The Jordanian News Agency (Petra) reported that this conference was held under the joint chairmanship of the country’s King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and in the presence of representatives of 75 countries and heads of international humanitarian and relief organizations.
In the statement, Abdullah, Al-Sisi and Guterres expressed their “deep concern about the huge loss of life, the unprecedented loss of civilians, the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the war in Gaza and the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and about the continued failure of humanitarian aid to reach civilians in need.”
They condemned “killings, targeting and other harmful actions against civilians in violation of international law and international humanitarian law.”
They also condemned attacks on United Nations staff and other humanitarian workers, including more than 250 attacks on schools of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other buildings housing displaced persons, and the killing of at least 193 agency staff and at least for 135 of their children, and called for a full investigation into every one of these deaths.
He rejected the attack on Rafah
The Conference Presidents denounced the effects of the war in Gaza, including the ongoing operations in Rafah, which have exacerbated the catastrophic humanitarian situation, and condemned in the strongest terms the attacks hitting Palestinian refugee camps.
They rejected the individual or collective forced transfer and displacement of civilians within the occupied Palestinian territories, in violation of international law.
They stressed the importance of the current mediation undertaken by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, with the aim of reaching an agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire throughout Gaza, the release of prisoners and detainees, and ensuring the unhindered access, increase and distribution of humanitarian aid to civilians in need.
The Conference Presidents acknowledged the important role played by all United Nations humanitarian organizations and humanitarian workers inside Gaza, and praised their efforts to remain in Gaza and deliver aid.
They stressed the important role played by UNRWA, which cannot be replaced or dispensed with, especially in providing vital aid and services to Palestinian refugees despite the challenges they face and the unprecedented difficult working conditions.
They also stressed that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the importance of ending the occupation and achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in a way that meets the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their independent and sovereign state along the lines of June 4, 1967.
The presidents of this conference expressed their deep concern about the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and condemned all unilateral measures, including settlement activities that undermine the two-state solution.
Call for an immediate ceasefire
The Conference Presidents called for the establishment of an immediate and permanent ceasefire that is fully respected, the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners and detainees, and demand their safety and humane treatment in accordance with international law.
They also called for an end to the ongoing operation in Rafah, and the implementation of the interim measures referred to by the International Court of Justice. Ensure full respect for international law and international humanitarian law, in particular with regard to the protection of civilians, civilian infrastructure, United Nations humanitarian aid workers, and medical and media personnel.
The Presidents of the International Conference on Emergency Humanitarian Response to the Gaza Strip called for allowing, facilitating and enabling immediate, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid in the required quantity and quality and on a large scale, to and throughout the Gaza Strip.
They also called for early recovery priorities to be addressed, including education, health, shelter, nutrition, water and sanitation, electricity, logistics and communications.
They called for the provision of the necessary support and sustainable, transparent and long-term financing to enable UNRWA to carry out its duties according to its UN mandate, and to continue its basic and vital activities and services to the Palestinian people in Gaza, and all its areas of operation, including through early recovery activities.
The conference leaders stressed the need to intensify diplomatic efforts to end Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
As well as “launching a credible and irreversible path to implement the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent, geographically contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, in line with agreed upon standards and on the lines of June 4, 1967, to live side by side with Israel in security and peace.” On the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, previous agreements and international law.”
They called for the abolition of all punitive measures imposed on the Palestinians and the Palestinian economy, and to refrain from all provocative and inflammatory statements and actions that further aggravate the difficult situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as providing the necessary support to the Palestinian government.
During their speeches, the participants in the Gaza Emergency Humanitarian Response Conference called for allowing humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip and to put pressure on Israel not to use the weapon of starvation against the residents of the Gaza Strip, and stressed the existence of a safe zone in Gaza.
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced new US aid worth $404 million to the Palestinians, and urged other countries to provide funds to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a comprehensive war on the Gaza Strip, which has resulted, to date, in more than 122,000 martyrs and wounded, thousands of missing persons, an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, and massive destruction in residential neighborhoods, infrastructure, and hospitals.
