Embassy of the State of Palestine

Her Excellency, Rula Ma’ayah, Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, calls on the international community, especially the UNESCO, World Heritage Committee, ICOMOS, ICCROM, IUCN, ICOM, WAC, IAU and other international organizations to condemn the Israeli indiscriminate attacks against civilians and continuous violations of the international humanitarian law and the military targeting of cultural and natural heritage sites as war crimes and as intentional acts of destruction of cultural and natural heritage in violation of human rights.

Geneva, Aug 12: The UN Human Rights Council President Baudelaire Ndong Ella Monday announced a three-member panel to investigate the human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the conflict-torn Gaza Strip. Ella appointed Canadian William Schabas to serve as chair of the independent international commission of inquiry, Xinhua reported. The commission also comprises British lawyer Amal Alamuddin and Doudou Diene from Senegal.

Read more at: http://news.oneindia.in/international/un-human-rights-council-appoints-panel-for-palestine-inquiry-1500878.html

According to Negotiation Affairs Department, Israeli Forces since July 8 have killed over 1916 people (including at least 449 children, 243 women and 87 elderly) and injured over 9870 people (including at least 3004 children, 1907 women and 359 elderly). Israel deliberately continue to target civilians. At least 16,735 buildings are not inhabitable and another 41,420 buildings have been damaged. At least 277 schools have been damaged by Israeli attacks; including: 141 government schools and 136 UNRWA schools.

In her statement the Hon Julie bishop said:"The violence must stop as soon as possible. I welcome the announcement of a 72-
hour humanitarian ceasefire to commence later today. Israel and Hamas must fully
commit to and implement this humanitarian pause. Then the priority must be to reach
a permanent ceasefire agreement that brings an end to the killing and recrimination.
All efforts must be directed at these objectives".

GENEVA — As a 72-hour cease-fire took hold in the Gaza Strip, a United Nations official said Tuesday that Israel’s nearly month long offensive had had a “catastrophic and tragic impact” on children in the territory and that reconstruction would require many hundreds of millions of dollars.

The conflict has killed 408 children and injured 2,502, Pernille Ironside, the head of the Unicef office in Gaza, said, briefing reporters in Geneva by telephone. About 373,000 children have had traumatic experiences and need psychosocial support, she said.

The Australian Government must use its position on the United Nations Security Council to push for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

With reports of more than 1300 dead, including many children, the fighting must end now.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has welcomed the Joint Statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States Secretary of State John Kerry that there will be a 72 hour humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

“New Zealanders are rightly shocked at the events unfolding in Gaza and we call on both sides to implement an immediate ceasefire."

In a press statement The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine welcomes the joint declaration, issued by prominent legal experts from countries around the world regarding the wanton killing and destruction committed against our people in the Gaza Strip on 27 July 2014. The experts denounced the grave violations and disrespect of the most basic principles of international law and of the fundamental human rights of the entire Palestinian population, committed by Israel, the occupying Power, during its ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip. They further reminded of the legal assessment that indiscriminate attacks against civilians is not only illegal under international law but also morally intolerable.

In his letter to UN secretary General President Abbas declares the Gaza Strip a disaster area and urges the secretary General to act with all the means available to him in the UN system to ensure that this injustice ends and that the Palestinian people are provided with the protection they are entitled to

ActionAid Australia sends an open letter calling on Julie Bishop, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to take a strong international stance to promote Palestinian women’s rights in the current conflict.
They wrote: In conflicts like this, women and children are always the most affected. We need to let the Australian Government know that it must use its influence in the United Nations Security Council to ensure that women are not forgotten.