19 November 2023
Ahead of Monday’s Global Food Security Summit in London, 12 charities call on the British Prime Minister to demand an immediate ceasefire, an end to Israel’s ongoing siege, and the urgent entry of food, fuel, water and other vital aid. Read their open letter below:
Dear Prime Minister
Monday’s Global Food Security Summit in London is an important step in galvanising international action to address the shocking rise in global hunger and malnutrition caused by covid, conflict, and climate change. We welcome your decision to open the meeting, which shows the UK intends to reclaim its leadership in this area.
As you know, beating world hunger is not just about resources, it’s about political choices: choices about how the world nurtures and sustains the environment and our food systems; choices about how governments shape their societies so the vulnerable are protected; choices about how countries, and their militaries, conduct themselves when civilians are caught up in armed conflict.
More than two million people in Gaza are going hungry, including one million children. With barely a tenth of necessary food supplies able to enter since the conflict began, the UN is now warning of widespread hunger and even starvation.
Private diplomacy by Israel’s allies has failed to end its month-long siege of food, fuel, water and other aid. Civilians are suffering as a result, but so too is the UK’s reputation as custodian of UN Security Council Resolution 2417, which forbids the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
The world has everything it needs to start saving lives in Gaza today, but unless Israel agrees to an immediate ceasefire and to allow food, fuel and other aid to enter, we will all be relegated to powerless bystanders, forced to watch from the sidelines as scores of civilians die from starvation at the hands of a UK ally.
We urge you to use your opening remarks on Monday to call for an immediate ceasefire, condemn Israel’s ongoing siege and insist that food, fuel, water and other aid vital for survival is allowed into Gaza with immediate effect.
You must choose to act.
Signed:
Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director of Action Against Hunger UK
Chris Doyle, Director of Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)
Christine Allen , Director of CAFOD
Patrick Watt, CEO of Christian Aid
George Graham, Chief Executive of Humanity & Inclusion
Waseem Ahmad, CEO of Islamic Relief
Tareq Shrourou, Director of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
Melanie Ward, CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive of Oxfam GB
Rose Caldwell, CEO of Plan International UK
Rob Williams, CEO of War Child UK
Caroline Qutteneh, Director of Welfare Association
Photo: A Palestinian child amid the destruction caused by Israel’s military assault on Gaza. (Credit: Mohammed Zaanoun).
