Jordan Daily – The co-chairs of the “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza” issued a statement at the conclusion of the conference, hosted by Jordan at the Dead Sea on Tuesday.
Following is the full text of the statement:
“The high-level conference “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza,” was held in Dead Sea Jordan on the 11th of June 2024, and co-chaired by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and His Excellency Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres,
The Co-chairs
- Expressed grave concern at the enormous loss of life, the unprecedented civilian casualties and the unfolding man-made humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza caused by targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure and at the persistent and continuing lack of humanitarian access to civilians in need. Condemned the killing, targeting and other harmful actions against civilians by both sides in violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
- Condemned the attacks on United Nations staff and other humanitarian workers, including the more than 250 attacks on UNRWA schools and other premises sheltering displaced people and the killing of at least 193 UNRWA staff and at least 135 of their children and called for a full investigation into each and every one of these deaths.
- Deplored 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 attacks striking camps of displaced Palestinians.
- Rejected individual or mass forcible transfer and displacement of civilians within and from the Occupied Palestinian Territory in violation of international law.
- Stressed the importance of the current mediation by Egypt, Qatar and the United States with a view to finalizing a deal that would guarantee a permanent ceasefire throughout Gaza, the release of hostages and detainees, and increase and ensure the unhindered access and distribution of humanitarian assistance to civilians in need.
- Acknowledged the important role of all United Nations humanitarian organizations and humanitarian workers inside Gaza and commended their efforts to stay and deliver, saluting those who have sacrificed their lives.
- Stressed the indispensable and irreplaceable role of UNRWA, especially in providing life-saving supplies and services despite existential challenges and unprecedented difficult working conditions.
- Emphasized that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied in 1967 and reiterated in this regard the importance of ending the occupation, with a view to achieving a stable, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, on the basis of the pre-4 June 1967 lines, fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for self-determination and statehood.
- Expressed grave concern over 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.
In light of the discussions that took place during the Conference, the Co-chairs hereby call for the following actions:
- Establishing an immediate, permanent, and fully respected cease fire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and all civilians who are being illegally held captive, demanding their safety, well-being and humane treatment in compliance with international law.
- Ending the ongoing operation in Rafah, and implementing the provisional measures indicated by the International Court of Justice.
- Ensuring full respect for international law and international humanitarian law, in particular with regards to the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, UN and humanitarian aid workers, and medical and media personnel.
- Allowing, facilitating and enabling the immediate, safe and unhindered access and provision of humanitarian assistance at scale, in quality and quantity, into and throughout Gaza, via the most direct routes to the civilian population, including through lifting all barriers and restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Ensuring its safe and unimpeded passage to the civilian population in need and ensuring conditions conducive to the safe and effective distribution and provision of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, including by establishing robust coordination, humanitarian notification and deconfliction mechanisms.
- Stepping up the efforts to ensure sustained provision and delivery of humanitarian assistance into and throughout Gaza, in line with obligations under international humanitarian law, Security Council resolution 2712 (2023), and Security Council resolution 2720 (2023), via all routes, including through establishing reliable, simplified and standardized measures and operating procedures, as well as providing necessary financial, logistical and supply needs (trucks, warehouses, stockpiles, etc.), to reduce humanitarian needs and resources gap.
- Addressing early recovery priorities, including education, health, shelter, nutrition, water and sanitation, electricity, logistics, and telecommunications, while underscoring the crucial importance of education as part of early recovery for over 500,000 children and for future peace.
- Ensuring the necessary conditions for the safe and dignified return of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
- Providing the necessary support and sustained, transparent, and long-term funding to enable UNRWA to carry out its duties as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly, and to maintain its essential life-saving activities and services for the Palestinian people, in Gaza and all fields of operation, including through early recovery activities.
- Facilitating and supporting the establishment of a UN mechanism inside Gaza for accelerating the provision of humanitarian relief consignments with the goal of expediting, streamlining, and accelerating the process of providing assistance while continuing to help ensure that aid reaches its civilian destination in accordance with Security Council resolution 2720 (2023).
- Increasing diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and launch a credible and irreversible track for the implementation of the two-state solution, that results in the establishment of an independent, contiguous, viable and sovereign, Palestinian State, in line with agreed parameters and on the basis of the pre- 4 June 1967 lines, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, previous agreements and international law.
- Lifting all punitive measures imposed on the Palestinian people and economy and refraining from all provocative and inflammatory statements and actions that further exacerbate the dire situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as providing the necessary support to the Palestinian Government.”
