Faith and humanitarian groups call for ceasefire in Rafah

Christian development agencies and other organisations have written to the Prime Minister urging the UK to demand an instantaneous halt to Israel’s offensive into Rafah. 

Christian Aid, Catholic aid agency CAFOD, Embrace the Middle East, and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) have added their names to the letter that expresses “urgent concern” about attacks this week. 

At least 67 people, mainly women and kids were killed, however the letter warns that the number will proceed to rise and “the beleaguered and strained humanitarian system will fully collapse as need will only rise and access decrease”. 

The groups say that “red lines are being constantly crossed” and that the UK “appears utterly incapable of restraining Israel in its current attempts”. 

The say that the UK must use its “full diplomatic pressure” to demand an instantaneous and everlasting ceasefire.

Many people from northern and central Gaza fled to Rafah after evacuation orders got by Israel ahead of its military offensive that was launched following the October 7 attack by Hamas. Around 1.3 million persons are trapped in the town. 

“It is certainly one of the only a few places where extremely limited humanitarian aid is capable of enter the Gaza Strip,” the organisations write. 

They proceed, “We ask you now to make use of the UK’s full diplomatic pressure to demand Israel halt its military campaign, which has already resulted within the killing of 28,000 people.

“Will the UK act now, as red lines are being constantly crossed despite warnings from the UK to Israel on the toll of casualties being ‘too high’?

“Or will the UK proceed its current path, which every day further is enabling Israel’s actions with impunity? Will the UK risk further moral complicity in the continuing death from Israeli attacks?”