Red Cross pleas with Dutch gov't to intervene in Gaza; 100 orgs. appeal to world leaders
The Dutch Red Cross published a plea to Dutch politicians to intervene and stop the “indescribable suffering” in the Gaza Strip on the same day that over 100 aid organizations appealed to global governments to stop Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian territory and get food and aid to the people there.
“As the Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families. With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes,” wrote the 109 aid organizations, including CARE, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam International, Plan International, and Save the Children.
According to the aid organizations, the Israeli government’s actions have created chaos, starvation, and death. “Just outside Gaza, in warehouses - and even within Gaza itself - tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched with humanitarian organisations blocked from accessing or delivering them.”
They urged governments around the world to act. “Open all land crossings; restore the full flow of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items, and fuel through a principled, UN-led mechanism; end the siege, and agree to a ceasefire now.”
On the same day, the Red Cross published its own appeal directed at the Dutch government. “In recent weeks, talks have been held about a ceasefire in Gaza, European leaders have met to discuss possible measures, and a declaration has been signed to end the conflict. Meanwhile, people in Gaza are dying of hunger or trying to access food,” said Harm Goossens, director of the Netherlands Red Cross. “Our colleagues are doing what they can, but this is unsustainable. It is up to our government to do more and do everything in its power to achieve a ceasefire. Then we can truly do what we are here for: save lives.”
Israel has only let a trickle of aid into Gaza for weeks, and Israeli soldiers have been attacking and killing Palestinians at or heading toward food distribution points. As of July 13, the United Nations confirmed that Israeli forces have killed 875 Palestinians seeking food, 201 on aid routes, and the rest at distribution points. Thousands more have been injured.
As of July 22, Israeli attacks have killed 59,106 people, including at least 17,400 children, in the Gaza Strip. At least 142,115 people are injured, Al Jazeera reported based on figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The attacks and siege started as retaliation for a Hamas terrorist attack in Israel on 7 October 2023, in which 1,139 people were killed.
