We, The Migration and Refugee Forum in the Arab World (MARFA), vehemently condemn the recent attack on Gaza, the strategies of displacement and ethnic cleansing along the severe blockade that has been imposed, resulting in the complete cut-off of water, energy, and food supplies to the civilian population. These inhuman measures, tantamount to collective punishment, are nothing short of a strategy of deliberate starvation, a method that has historically and tragically been associated with genocidal actions.
The call of the Israeli occupying authorities to the Palestinian people of Gaza –most of them refugees since 1948- to relocate the South of the Strip within 24 hours is not only unfeasible but also unrealistic and it will clearly lead to a dramatic outcome of extermination of Palestinians. This abhorrent request represents a chilling echo of historical attempts at ethnic cleansing and mirrors the ongoing settler colonial project that has plagued the Palestinian people since the Nakba.
The United Nations has expressed concern for such a request stating that such a movement is impossible without devastating humanitarian consequences. What we are witnessing since the call was made public is indeed a humanitarian disaster that amounts to a war crime, especially for the impunity of Israel that, contrary to any international law and any acceptable measure, has continued to bomb residential areas both in the North and the South of Gaza, and even people on the move trying to relocate. We share this pressing worry and urgently call upon the entire Arab world to unite and take immediate action to prevent this impending atrocity, from impeding another Nakba. It is an imperative duty to defend the lives and rights of our fellow Palestinians against this ruthless assault on their very existence.
Over the past years, Israel’s imposition of a full closure of all borders in Gaza has effectively transformed it into the largest open-air prison in the world in a historical, constant effort to isolate it and deprive the large population of Palestinian refugees in it of any connection with the rest of their people and original land. The current, further implementation of an unrelenting siege makes it impossible for the people of Gaza to escape the continuous bombardments and seek refuge, compounding the suffering of innocent civilians.
This horrifying reality is reminiscent of the forced displacements and ethnic cleansing practices that were tragically implemented in 1948 and 1967 two of the most tragic and violent moments of the protracted settler–colonial project to eradicate the indigenous Palestinian population from its land.
We furthermore strongly denounce the indiscriminate attacks on critical infrastructures, including those belonging to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) which provide essential shelter and services to vulnerable refugees. It is imperative that the international community guarantees the safety and protection of this crucial international agency that has the UN mandate to provide relief to Palestinian refugees.
We cannot ignore that this dramatic escalation and the total blockade that is being imposed at this time, comes on top of 16 years of embargo. It is imperative for the international community to recognize the cumulative impact of these prolonged and inhumane restrictions on the people of Gaza, who have endured unimaginable hardships.
We urge the international community to recognize the gravity of the situation and take immediate and resolute action. Starving civilians as a method of warfare is explicitly prohibited by Article 54(1) of the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. These dehumanizing measures have the potential to lead to nothing short of extermination and genocide, and it is the unequivocal responsibility of all states and international institutions to prevent such an atrocity, as stipulated by the Additional Protocol I, Article 7, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Furthermore, we call upon all regional actors to remain actively engaged and committed to preventing further displacement of people, while simultaneously ensuring the protection and safety of the populations. We express our gratitude to Jordan and other regional actors who are taking significant steps to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, and we implore them to intensify their efforts to ensure that basic goods can enter besieged Gaza.
The time for action is now. The continued suffering of the people of Gaza is a stain on the conscience of the world, and the international community must not remain indifferent. We must stand together in defence of human rights and humanitarian principles, ensuring that no one is subjected to the horrors of refuge, collective punishment, starvation, or genocide. The world must remember the lessons of history and act decisively to prevent a repetition of past injustices, including forced displacement and ethnic cleansing practices that have scarred the Palestinian people. These dramatic events serve as a sombre reminder of the urgent need to protect oppressed people from the devastating consequences of colonial domination in all the tragic, violent forms it manifests.
We urge all humanitarian organizations, civil society groups, International NGOs, and grassroots organizations in the Arab world to join our call and demand that international institutions and States take all relevant steps to:
- To enact all possible mechanisms to prevent any further displacement and the risk of another Nakba.
- Ensure protection to the civilian population in Gaza and prevent any form of collective punishment according to international law.
- Guarantee the access of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.
- Assuring that electricity and fuel are guaranteed in order to facilitate the operation of hospitals and ambulances.
- Protecting UNRWA and facilitating its operation in the Gaza Strip according to its mandate.
About MARFA
The Migration and Refugee Forum for the Arab World (MARFA) is an independent network of Arab academics, human rights activists, and lawyers that emerged in response to the dire need for a collective approach to championing the rights of migrants and refugees and raising awareness about related pressing issues in the region, including statelessness and the Arab diaspora.
