Open Call: Dutch Lawyers for Peace demand immediate action from the international community and respect and uphold international human rights in Gaza and the West Bank

We, the undersigned lawyers call on international institutions and governments to urgently fulfill their obligations and duties to ensure the protection of civilians and prevent further loss of life and destruction in Gaza and the West Bank.

This year, as we are commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, grave human rights violations are being committed by occupier Israel in the densely populated Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Occupier Israel is attacking ambulances, hospitals, U.N. schools, churches, mosques and densely populated refugee camps in Gaza. OCHA reported more than 11.000 Palestinians have been killed in the last 5 weeks, including more than 4500 children and more than 27.000 people have been injured. According to reports from the U.N. Secretary General, more children have been killed in the last 5 weeks in Gaza than the total killed in conflicts around the world since 2019.

The U.N. estimates that 1.6 million of a total population of 2.3 million people living in Gaza have been displaced. Thousands of Palestinians living in the heavily bombarded northern parts are forced to migrate to central and southern parts of Gaza. With all borders closed and the constant threat of deadly Israeli airstrikes across the whole Gaza Strip, there is no way of reaching safety, there is no safe place and no one is safe. In addition, OCHA recorded 244 settler attacks against Palestinians and more than 1100 people have been displaced in the West Bank in the last 5 weeks due to Israeli settler violence.

Since 7 October 2023, occupier Israel cut off access to water, the most basic humanitarian right, along with electricity. Occupier Israel also continues to block desperately needed and life-saving humanitarian aid including fuel, food and medical supplies, amounting to unlawful collective punishment and which is contrary to international law. As Philippe Lazzarini, chief of the U.N. agency for Palestinians said “Gaza is running out of life”.  According to Human Rights Watch, Israel used white phosphorus, a toxic substance causing horrific burns and egregious harm, in crowded civilian areas in Gaza – violating the international law prohibition of putting civilians at unnecessary risk. Occupier Israel is blatantly ignoring any calls for the protection of civilian lives and ignoring the U.N. resolution for a humanitarian truce adopted on 27 October 2023.

The number of deaths, casualties and destruction is horrific, requiring immediate action by the international community. We are very concerned occupier Israel is breaching international law and this humanitarian catastrophe must end immediately.

All human beings are entitled to human rights under international law and the rule of law ensures that international law and the principles of justice apply equally to all States and are equally adhered to. One of the reasons international institutions such as the U.N. exist is to prevent mass atrocities.

We call on all international institutions and governments protecting human rights to do everything in their power to bring an immediate end to the crimes committed by occupier Israel and exert its influence to urgently stop violations of international and humanitarian law against Palestinians.

We call for an immediate ceasefire

We call for the immediate restoration of water, electricity, fuel supplies and sufficient humanitarian aid must be allowed into Gaza

We call for the protection of humanitarian and medical aid workers and the protection of medical facilities

We call for an immediate end to the illegal mass deportations and displacement of millions of Palestinians

We call for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and Palestinians in administrative detention

We call for an immediate end to all the crimes perpetrated against civilians in the West Bank by violent settler colonists

We call for an immediate end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories

We believe that respecting and upholding the rule of law and international human rights is the only path to a peaceful solution. We urge the international community to urgently support every effort to promote peace. Violence is never the answer.