Statement on the Palestine/Israel conflict

Our hearts ache as, once again, we witness the displacement of innocent families – children, men, and women – torn from their homes by relentless conflict. While we hold steadfast in our belief that no one should ever be compelled to leave their home, the dire circumstances in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank have left hundreds of thousands without a safe haven, and the absence of viable escape routes in Gaza is compounding the humanitarian catastrophe.

We urge the UK Government to urgently advocate for the opening of borders to allow people to reach safety and to open safe routes for people fleeing the conflict, as was done for those fleeing Ukraine and Afghanistan, including a family reunion scheme and Refugee Visas open to all those affected by the conflict.

As ever, our mission is clear: keeping families together and protecting child refugees. We stand in solidarity with all communities affected by the conflict, in the region and around the world, as well as those yearning to reunite with their loved ones.

We stand united with the global humanitarian community in urging an immediate ceasefire to halt further loss of life, and we call for the end of the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories to pave the way for enduring peace and address the persistent Palestinian refugee crisis.