Thread by @DMiliband

As the UN Security Council meets on Gaza, a thread on the profound humanitarian crisis in Gaza; why civilians need a humanitarian ceasefire now; and what help for civilians dictates it must include: ⬇️

There is a moral and humanitarian imperative, which grows more urgent every day, to allow aid to flow and for civilian protection measures to be put in place.

We urge the Council to pass a resolution to spur a meaningful, multi-day humanitarian ceasefire across Gaza.

The IRC has made clear what that entails:

It must cover all of Gaza, be agreed by all parties, be monitored by the UN, and come alongside a streamlined clearance process for humanitarian goods and staff via all available crossing points.rescue.org/press-release/…

This help for civilians requires sufficient duration. After a month of bombardment and blockade, aid delivery and civilian protection requires days not hours of respite.

We have said the minimum duration is five days. But for each day that the conflict deepens humanitarian need, the time required to deliver and sustain life-saving support will grow longer.

The following conditions are essential to ensure the ceasefire means lives are saved and civilians can be protected:

1. Massive scale up of all humanitarian supplies into Gaza. Combined with re-starting and sustaining the delivery of fuel, water and electricity supplies to make possible effective aid delivery.

2. The free and safe movement of aid workers to assess needs and deliver and monitor the aid flows.

3. The evacuation of the sick and the wounded within or out of Gaza. Routes of movement should be identified, communicated, and be safe from attack. Their right to return must be guaranteed in advance.

4. The safe passage of civilians who wish to flee with the right to return. Routes of movement should be identified, communicated, and be safe from attack. Those who remain retain their protections under IHL.

5. The immediate release of hostages to safety.

This is the bare minimum to protect civilians and launch a humanitarian response at scale, in accordance with international humanitarian law. History has shown “safe zones” to be unsafe. They are not the answer and should not become a distraction.

Civilians in Gaza need this action now. This is the security that the Council needs to deliver.