AMMAN — In a joint statement, the heads of the
permanent committee between agencies affirmed on Thursday that the heads of
humanitarian organizations will not participate in unilateral proposals
regarding the establishment of
"safe zones" in Gaza.
According to Amad Media, the statement read:
"As leaders in the field of humanitarian assistance, our position is
clear: we will not participate in the establishment of any
'safe zones' created in Gaza without the consent of all parties, and unless the basic conditions are
provided to ensure safety and other essential needs, with the adoption of a
mechanism to supervise their implementation.
In the prevailing circumstances, proposals
aimed at establishing 'safe zones' entail the risk of harming civilians,
including significant loss of life, and must be rejected. Without suitable
conditions, the gathering of civilians in these areas in the context of ongoing
hostilities poses the danger of exposing them to attacks and causing further
harm. No 'safe zone' is truly secure when declared unilaterally or imposed by
the presence of armed forces.
Any discussion of 'safe zones' should not
deviate from the commitment that obliges parties to exercise constant care to
preserve the lives of civilians—wherever they may be—and to fulfill their basic needs,
including facilitating the rapid, secure, and unimpeded access of humanitarian
aid to civilians in need.
“We will not participate in unilateral proposals regarding the establishment of ‘safe zones’ in Gaza.”
اضافة اعلانThe intense hostilities and widespread
destruction of civilian infrastructure have caused extensive displacement of
civilians, with around 1.6 million people displaced in Gaza. Civilian populations in Gaza must have access to the basic necessities that keep them
alive, including food, water, shelter, sanitation, health, aid, and security.
Humanitarian organizations must have the capacity to obtain sufficient fuel to
deliver assistance and provide essential services. The freedom of humanitarian
workers in their vital movement, necessary for carrying out their tasks under
the provisions of international humanitarian law, must be ensured.
None of the humanitarian organizations we
represent have participated in preparing for the arrival of displaced persons
to any anticipated 'safe zone' or 'humanitarian zone' in Gaza.
A 'safe zone' means a temporary area designed
to preserve the safety of civilians, protect them from combat, and must meet
the following conditions for all displaced persons in the 'safe zone':
Agreement by parties to refrain from engaging
in combat in this area or its vicinity and to respect its civilian nature.
Providing basic necessities for survival,
including food, water, shelter, sanitation, health assistance, and security.
Allowing displaced persons to move freely and
return voluntarily to their places of residence as soon as possible.
Failure to meet these basic conditions may
constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and international
human rights law.
We also reiterate our call for a humanitarian
ceasefire to alleviate suffering, facilitate humanitarian operations, and
release hostages.”
Among the signatories:
- Mr. Martin Griffiths, Emergency Relief
Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
- Ms. Sophie Sutcliffe, Secretary-General, CARE
International
- Ms. Jane Bakhat, Chair of the Board,
International Council of Voluntary Agencies
- Mr. Jamie Moon, Executive Director,
International Council of Voluntary Agencies
- Ms. Ann Godard, Executive Director,
InterAction
- Ms. Amy E. Pope, Director General,
International Organization for Migration
- Mr. Tegla Dewi Makina, Executive Director,
Mercy Corps
- Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees
- Ms. Munna bint Mahid Sharif, Executive
Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme
- Mr. Catherine Russell, Executive Director,
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
- Ms. Sima Bahous, UN Under-Secretary-General
and Executive Director, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
- Ms. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World
Food Programme
- Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Director-General, World Health Organization
- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) fully supports this statement.
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