The YWCA of Palestine has issued an Action Alert calling on the YWCA movement, United Nations, civil society and governments to urge the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to end the siege. The statement highlights the plight of residence in the Gaza Strip noting that the blockade and past attempts to punish Hamas “are sparing no one including innocent children and defenseless civilians.”

The statement further elaborates that “the reduction of fuel supplies, food and medical supplies have caused a disastrous humanitarian situation that needs prompt intervention to spare human lives that are lost by the hour.” Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, has called the current situation in the Gaza Strip “absolutely untenable, humanly unbearable and morally unacceptable.”

The World YWCA Council in July 2007 passed a resolution calling on the YWCA movement to promote negotiations of a just and sustainable settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict and elimination of military occupation of Middle East territories. In a statement issued in November, the World YWCA noted that women and girls are particularly affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and urged the United Nations to consider recent reports on the Middle East as it develops solutions for peace in the region.

Read full Statement from YWCA of Palestine

• Action Alert from YWCA of Palestine on Gaza
• Alerta de Acción: Llamado a poner fin al Bloqueo Israelí sobre Gaza
• Action Urgente: Appel pour mettre fin au siège israélien dans la bande de Gaza

Related Links

• Public mobilization on the Gaza crisis
• World YWCA urges United Nations to implement resolutions on Palestine
• Developing a Culture of Peace in the Middle East
• YWCA of Palestine in Joint Initiative for a “Journey for Justice”