Palestinian Church Committee Criticizes Israel for Treating Humanitarian Aid as a Crime

Gaza residents receive winter clothing assistance/DOK © UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

JAKARTA - The Palestinian church committee said Israel treated humanitarian aid as a crime and called on churches around the world to immediately act to protect humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip.

Reported by WAFA, Tuesday, January 6, this statement came after Israel decided to revoke the operating permits of dozens of international organizations and require them to stop activities by March at the latest.

The Israeli-affiliated organizations have refused to hand over their staff lists and comply with new security procedures.

The head of the Palestinian Presidential High Committee for Church Affairs, Ramzi Khoury, called Israel's move a "very dangerous development."

"This step touches the core of humanitarian values and the mission of the Church, and shows a systematic restriction on international non-governmental organizations operating in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem," he said.

He assessed that what is happening in Gaza today is no longer limited to humanitarian work restrictions, but a systematic effort to criminalize aid.

The restrictions, he said, would also cripple organizations that have been helping to meet the most basic needs of Gazans suffering from Israeli sieges, wars, and total destruction.

Khoury said the international community's silence on Israel's restrictions "cannot be understood as neutrality," but rather a "moral abdication."

He assessed Israel's actions of obstructing humanitarian work and considering aid as a crime were violations of international humanitarian law and contrary to Christian teachings.

Khoury called on churches in the world to firmly reject restrictions by Israel, put pressure on the crossings to be opened, and ensure the entry of humanitarian aid.

Palestinian and international groups have warned that the revocation of permits by Israel would exacerbate the suffering of civilians in Gaza, which has been the target of Israeli attacks since October 2023.

The brutal war waged by Israel has killed more than 71,400 people and injured more than 171,000 others, as well as destroying the Palestinian enclave.

The United Nations estimates that the cost of rebuilding Gaza amounts to around 70 billion US dollars (Rp. 1,088.5 trillion).

Israel has also restricted the entry of food aid, medicines, medical supplies, and housing materials into Gaza, where 2.4 million people live under siege for more than 18 years.

The restrictions also violate a ceasefire agreement that has been in place since last October.

Source: Anadolu