OCTOBER 29, 2024
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, issued the following statement regarding the recent ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in parts of Palestine.
“Palestinians continue to be killed and starved to death, and now with the banning of UNRWA, a crucial lifeline for millions of people has been severed. This decision will inevitably result in many more deaths of innocent civilians.
“The decision should not come as a shock to world leaders, as international law is regularly violated and humanitarian aid is systemically blocked from reaching desperate families. Starvation and denial of aid are being weaponized.
“There must be consequences for denying aid while civilians starve. International governments must demand that this decision be reversed, and use all the diplomatic, economic and political leverage to abide by international law.
“We are seeing yet more tragedy and horror in northern Gaza. Dozens more civilians, including many children, have been killed when a building where they sought shelter after being forced to flee their homes was bombed. This is just the latest atrocity in the blitz of northern Gaza that has killed hundreds of people in recent days and cut off all humanitarian aid in full sight of the world.
“People across Gaza desperately need food, water, medicine and protection. Yet at a time when aid should be massively increased, it is being impeded even further with the banning of UNRWA.
“The decision will have a catastrophic impact on families across the whole territory. UNRWA is the biggest provider of essential services not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where many of the poorest families rely on it for health care, education, sanitation and other necessities.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Syed M. Hassan
[email protected] or
(571) 421-7032
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Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, VA, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States.
Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.