Bond response to UK, France, Canada statement and joint donor statement on Gaza
On Monday 19 May, the leaders of the UK, France and Canada published a joint public statement on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, following this statement, the UK and other donors published a joint statement on humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the proposal for a new aid delivery model calling on the government of Israel to “allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately and enable the UN and humanitarian organisations to work independently and impartially to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity.”
In response to the two statements, Bond, the UK network for organisations working in international development and humanitarian assistance said the following:
While we acknowledge the joint statements from the UK, France, Canada, and other donor countries, words need to be followed by concrete action.
As a network with member organisations directly engaged in the humanitarian response in the region, we know how diplomatic statements alone fail to translate into meaningful access or protection. Despite official commitments, deliveries of humanitarian assistance remain severely restricted, with critical supplies like medical equipment, fuel, and water purification systems routinely denied entry. Humanitarian workers continue to face unprecedented risks, with over 400 humanitarian workers killed since October 2023.The UK government must demonstrate leadership by: Establishing verifiable benchmarks for monitoring humanitarian access and holding all parties accountable for compliance, implement specific diplomatic and economic consequences for violations of humanitarian law, commit additional emergency funding specifically for local humanitarian organisations with proven access and support independent documentation of humanitarian law violations to ensure future accountability.
We call on the UK and the wider international community to end impunity for violations of international law as set out by the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion and take immediate, concrete steps to prevent further civilian suffering and loss of life.
ENDS.
Notes to editors
- The International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Advisory Opinion is available here.
- Many of Bond’s member organisations are actively working in the region providing humanitarian assistance to civilians.
- Read Bond’s reaction to Israel’s proposal to deliver humanitarian assistance through private companies.
- Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 350 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
- For further information, please contact Jess Salter, Media Adviser at Bond at [email protected] or call 07392972411.
