Israel's Systematic Targeting of Aid Workers

Dear XXXXXX,

I write to you with grave concern regarding the recent tragic series of targeted attacks on aid workers in Gaza.

The IDF executed three deliberate strikes, targeting different aid vehicles over a distance of more than 2.4 kilometres. It has been reported that Israeli forces were fully aware that the convoy belonged to aid volunteers and had coordinated safe routes with them. They were also travelling in vehicles clearly marked with the organisations logo on them, yet the IDF repeatedly bombed them.

The barbarity of the attack of known humanitarian aid volunteers is appalling. After the first strike, surviving aid volunteers moved to a second vehicle, which was then hit. It is reported that, after moving to the third vehicle, including transferring their injured colleagues, they were bombed again, leaving no survivors.

Unfortunately, the targeting of aid organisations is not new. Israel has consistently targeted aid workers and their vehicles, resulting in the slaughter of over 200 in the past six months.

When aid does reach Gaza, Israel has egregiously targeted Palestinian civilians attempting to access it. The flour massacre in February saw Israeli military forces open fire on over a thousand individuals, leaving 118 dead and 760 injured. The flour massacre wasn’t a singular occurrence; since then, reports of Israeli forces targeting starving Palestinians retrieving aid have only increased in frequency.

Forced starvation is being utilised as a means for the collective punishment and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. Israel is aware that these assaults on aid workers impede the delivery of aid and the willingness of international organisations to perform their duties.

This year, we have seen the widespread defunding of the largest aid agency supporting the region, UNRWA, after baseless accusations garnered international attention and outrage, despite Israeli media even reporting the claims as meritless. This has directly impacted the delivery of aid, further facilitating the forced starvation of Palestinians. The United Nations has said that the children of Gaza are being starved at the fastest rate the world has ever seen.

Now that these unfounded allegations have been debunked, Israel have moved on to targeting and killing employees of the World Central Kitchen, which has already prompted the second largest aid organisation to suspend its operations due to safety concerns.

Israel’s suppression and targeting of aid is diametrically opposed to the International Court of Justice’s call for an increase in humanitarian aid. It also contradicts the pleas from multiple governments around the world for the very same. This latest distressing incident underscores the urgent need for international attention and action to ensure the safety and protection of aid workers and civilian lives in Gaza.

As my elected representative, I urge you to call for immediate sanctions against Israel, and a reassessment of the government’s support for military actions that result in civilian casualties. We must uphold our commitment to humanitarian principles and international law. The lives of innocent aid workers and civilians hang in the balance, and it is our moral obligation to act swiftly and decisively.

I will also remind you that the United Nations Security Council voted on an immediate ceasefire, and the beginning of the return of all hostages. Hamas has agreed to the terms of the hostage release, but Israel will not agree to the ceasefire. It must be stressed, that the return of hostages is not connected to the ceasefire; the ceasefire was ordered to be implemented immediately. Israel is a rogue state, it is on trial for genocide at the highest court in the world, and has directly ignored the pleas from its closest allies in the west.

It is imperative that we take a principled stand against such egregious violations.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter, and I eagerly await you taking a leading role in bringing this to parliament immediately. There is no greater pressing issue.

Your constituent,

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