Statement on the Gaza Crisis
*Possible Trigger Warning*
We unequivocally condemn the killing and suffering of all innocent people. But, over the last 2 months, the collective punishment placed upon the Palestinian people of Gaza has been unbearable to watch, witness, and impossible to ignore. All children deserve an opportunity to feel safe, have their basic needs met, grow up in an environment where they are not worried about bombs falling on their heads and deserve a life where they do not have to worry about digging their deceased and injured family members out of the rubble that was once their home. Children deserve the right to smile, laugh, play, and dream about a future filled with opportunity and hope.
With tens of thousands of Palestinians being killed over the last 2 months, the majority of whom are women and children, with over 80% of the population being forcibly displaced with no safe haven, with over 60% of homes and infrastructure being obliterated, with over 70% of hospitals in Gaza no longer functioning, with over 40% of the population in Gaza under 14 and over 60% of the population under 18, SIA calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the ending of the genocide against the people of Gaza.
As aid agencies warn that a humanitarian disaster in Gaza is worsening by the hour with most of its 2.3 million people homeless and trapped, we call on all parties involved to follow international law, adhere to UN Human Rights Resolutions, and to allow for the flow of basic humanitarian aid such as food, water, fuel, and medical supplies.