Gaza Conference in Jordan Highlights Qatari Mediation's Role in Reaching Ceasefire
Amman, June 11 (QNA) - The "Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza" conference, held today at the Dead Sea in Jordan, emphasized the importance of mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States to reach an agreement ensuring a permanent ceasefire throughout the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages and detainees, and the unobstructed delivery and increase of humanitarian aid.
This was stated in the final communique of the conference. It called for the establishment of an immediate and permanent ceasefire to be fully respected and for facilitating and supporting the creation of a United Nations mechanism within Gaza to expedite the delivery of humanitarian relief shipments.
Participants in the conference expressed grave concern over the significant loss of life, unprecedented civilian casualties, and the humanitarian disaster caused by the war in Gaza, including the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the continued lack of humanitarian aid access to those in need. They condemned killings, targeting, and other harmful actions against civilians in violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
They also condemned attacks on UN personnel and other humanitarian workers, including more than 250 attacks on schools of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other buildings sheltering the displaced, with at least 193 UNRWA staff members and at least 135 of their children killed. They called for a full investigation into each of these deaths.
The communique denounced the effects of the war in Gaza, including ongoing operations in Rafah that have exacerbated the catastrophic humanitarian situation, and condemned in the strongest terms the attacks on Palestinian refugee camps.
The conference rejected the forced individual or collective transfer or displacement of civilians within the occupied Palestinian territories, in violation of international law. It also recognized the vital role of all UN humanitarian organizations and workers in Gaza, commended their efforts to remain in Gaza and deliver aid, and honored those who sacrificed their lives. They emphasized the irreplaceable and indispensable role of UNRWA, particularly in providing essential assistance and services to Palestinian refugees despite the challenges and unprecedented difficult working conditions.
The conference affirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and highlighted the importance of ending the occupation and achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East that meets the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people in establishing their independent and sovereign state on the lines of Jun. 4, 1967.
They expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and condemned all unilateral actions, including settlement activities, that undermine the two-state solution.
The final statement called for an end to the ongoing operation in Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip and the implementation of the provisional measures indicated by the International Court of Justice. It also called for ensuring full respect for international law and international humanitarian law, particularly concerning the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, United Nations humanitarian aid workers, and medical and media personnel.
The statement demanded the immediate, safe, and unhindered access to humanitarian aid in the required quantity and quality and on a broad scale to Gaza and throughout its areas, through the most direct routes to the civilian population, including lifting all barriers and restrictions imposed on the delivery of humanitarian aid. It emphasized ensuring the safe and unhindered passage of aid to civilians in need and providing favorable conditions for the safe and effective distribution and delivery of humanitarian assistance across Gaza, including establishing robust mechanisms for humanitarian coordination, notification, and deconfliction.
It called for intensified efforts to ensure the continuous provision and delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and throughout its areas, consistent with obligations under international humanitarian law, Security Council Resolution 2712 (2023), and Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023), through all routes, including establishing reliable, simplified, and standardized operational measures and procedures. The statement also highlighted the need for the necessary financial, logistical, and supply requirements (trucks, warehouses, stocks, etc.) to mitigate humanitarian needs and resource gaps.
The final communique called for addressing early recovery priorities, including education, health, shelter, nutrition, water, sanitation, electricity, logistics, and communications. It emphasized the critical importance of education as part of early recovery for more than 500,000 children and for future peace. The statement also called for ensuring the necessary conditions for the safe and dignified return of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
It demanded the provision of necessary support and sustainable, transparent, long-term funding to enable UNRWA to fulfill its mandated duties and continue its essential and vital activities and services for the Palestinian people in Gaza and all its areas of operation, including through early recovery activities.
The statement urged facilitating and supporting the establishment of a United Nations mechanism within Gaza to expedite the delivery of humanitarian relief shipments to accelerate and simplify the aid delivery process, while ensuring the aid reaches its civilian destination in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023).
The need to intensify diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories was emphasized, launching a credible and irreversible process to implement the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent, geographically connected, viable, and sovereign Palestinian state, in line with agreed-upon standards and the June 4, 1967 borders, living side by side with Israel in security and peace, based on relevant United Nations resolutions, previous agreements, and international law.
The final statement affirmed the need to lift all punitive measures imposed on the Palestinian people and economy, refrain from all provocative and inflammatory statements and actions that exacerbate the difficult situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and provide necessary support to the Palestinian government. (QNA)
