Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) said that the Israeli aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip is a heinous crime that cannot be justified, holding the Israeli occupation responsible for igniting the situation through its horrific and continuous violations against Palestinians, its attacks on holy sites, and its restrictions on all the aspects of the people’s lives.
AOHR UK emphasised that targeting civilian infrastructure and residential buildings is a war crime that cannot be justified by security or military considerations, especially given that 20 children were among the 370 Palestinian victims, and that 2,200 residential units and 13 residential buildings were either completely or partially destroyed.
AOHR UK stressed that Israeli war crimes and escalation against besieged civilians will not achieve stability or put an end to the conflict. After decades of occupation, it is obvious that the policies of the succeeding occupation governments, which were based on violence against civilians and violations of human rights, are the main cause of Palestinian resentment and responses.
AOHR UK emphasized that the loss of faith in the ability of the international community to achieve justice has been caused by the international silence and the world powers’ support for the Israeli occupation, particularly the financial, military, and political support, which blocks any avenues for legal recourse or holding Israeli war criminals accountable.
AOHR UK stressed that as the occupation’s violations increased, popular anger increased, and its scope exponentially expanded since all Palestinian families were impacted by the occupation’s violations, whether through the loss of a family member, injuries to one of them, or poverty and a lack of basic services.
Every person who is the target of increased violence or threat has the right to self-defence, including Palestinians who are subjected to Israeli violence without any regional or international support, whether on a humanitarian, political, or military level.
The international community needs to step up its assistance and defense of the Palestinian people who are defending their right to resist the occupation, put an end to the besieged Gaza Strip’s violations and war crimes, and make serious efforts to find a lasting peace that includes ending the occupation and lifting the unjust siege.
