Gaza and Israel: One year on
This week marks a year since the escalation of violence in Gaza, which has now killed over 41,000 people and displaced nearly 2 million, following the attacks in Israel that took the lives of 815 civilians. The devastating situation in Gaza for the past year has led to the International Court of Justice calling on Israel to take urgent steps to prevent genocide. We remain horrified as conflicts continue to escalate in the region. Too many people have been killed, and too many remain torn from their homes and loved ones – forced to move again and again, with nowhere safe to turn and no viable routes to escape the onslaught.
No one should be forced to leave their home. As we have done previously, we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and for people to be able to return to what remains of their homes to start to rebuild. We call for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories and oppression of the Palestinian people. We call for the de-escalation of violence in the region and for governments around the world to stop arming this hostility. We call for an end to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, which has been even more inflamed in the past twelve months.
As is our mission for all people torn from their families through conflict and persecution, we have been fighting for Palestinian families to reunite with loved ones in the UK, providing legal support to several families trying to flee the onslaught of violence in Gaza. For many of these families, faced with the loss of their homes, daily bombardments, the lack of basic necessities, and the lives of loved ones lost or at stake, there’s no real ‘choice’ in leaving. However, as long as Palestinians cannot find safety in their own homeland, the UK Government must step up and provide safe routes for those seeking to reunite with their families.We stand in solidarity with the communities impacted by this year of horror.
We will always stand up for people who have been forced to flee their homes through conflict or persecution, and for refugee families to be together.