Oct
Urgent Action Needed to Secure an Immediate Ceasefire and Humanitarian Corridor in Gaza
Written by Islamic Relief CanadaOctober 17, 2023
Canadian leaders must take action NOW to ensure an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian corridor to Gaza.
The scenes from today's bombing of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza are horrific. Over 500 are reported dead, many of whom are displaced women and children simply seeking refuge and sanctuary from the violence. This atrocity is a result of the international community's failure to protect civilian lives.
For days, civilians in Gaza have warned that nowhere is safe and that hospitals, homes, and school shelters are under attack. Their pleas have been repeatedly ignored, and the international community has stood by as bombs rain down on innocent people and international laws are violated.
The situation is getting worse every minute. Canada and our allies must demand an immediate end to this violence and any further civilian suffering.
What is happening in Gaza?
Gaza especially is facing catastrophic humanitarian consequences, as the crippling and total blockade means a population of over 2.2 million people are without access to food, medicine, fuel and aid. No aid is currently being allowed into Gaza. UN experts have described this worsening situation as “collective punishment,” and have condemned "the withholding of essential supplies such as food, water, electricity and medicines.”
Food supplies and fuel are running low. Gaza’s only power plant has already shut down as a result. Hospitals full of injured children are running out of power and medicine, and sewage is spilling into the streets as sanitation infrastructure is damaged. UN experts have further stated, “Such actions [total siege] will precipitate a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where its population is now at inescapable risk of starvation.”