Embrace the Middle East is among over 600 charities from across the globe who have signed the #CeasefireNow petition, an open call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and further loss of innocent lives.

The open letter, reproduced below, calls on all Heads of State, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground, to prioritize the preservation of human life above all else.

Individuals can also sign the petition.

#CeasefireNow: Open Call for an Immediate Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to Prevent a Humanitarian Catastrophe and Further Loss of Innocent Lives

We have witnessed unfathomable death and destruction in the Gaza Strip and Israel. Thousands of people have been killed, injured, displaced, and nearly two hundred remain held hostage, including children and elderly.

In Gaza, the UN has said that water, food, fuel, medical supplies, and even body bags, are running out due to the siege. The UN warned that people – particularly young children – will soon start dying of severe dehydration. Neighbourhoods have been destroyed and turned into complete rubble. Palestinians in search of safety have nowhere to go. Many of those who relocated from northern Gaza to the south after the relocation order by the Israeli army were reportedly bombed as they attempted to flee or once they arrived in southern Gaza.

The events of the last week have led us to the precipice of a humanitarian catastrophe and the world can no longer wait to act. It is our collective responsibility.

On Sunday, October 15th, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator to the Occupied Palestinian Territory appealed to all parties to the conflict, and to Member States with influence, to urgently agree to a humanitarian ceasefire.

Today, we put our voices together and call on all Heads of State, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground, to prioritize the preservation of human life above all else. During this ceasefire, we call on all parties to unconditionally:

1.      Facilitate the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies, fuel, and the resumption of electricity and internet to Gaza, in addition to safe passage of humanitarian and medical staff

2.      Free all civilian hostages, especially children and elderly

3.      Allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN facilities, schools, hospitals, and health facilities in northern Gaza and commit to protecting them along with the civilians and staff inside them at all times

4.      Rescind orders by the Government of Israel for civilians to depart northern Gaza

5.      Allow patients in critical condition to be medically evacuated for urgent care

The UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and all world leaders with influence must take immediate action to ensure a ceasefire comes into effect. It remains our only option to avert further loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe. Anything less will forever be a stain on our collective conscience.

Civilians are not bargaining chips. Families need a chance to bury and mourn their dead. The cycle of violence against innocent civilians needs to stop.

Signatories 

1. 11.11.11

2. 38 Degrees

3. 50:50 NI

4. ABCD Bethlehem

5. Abductees Mothers Association

6. ACTION AGAINST HUNGER

7. Action Corps

8. Action For Humanity

9. ActionAid International

10. Africans Rising

11. Afro-Middle East Centre

12. Agriculture Developmrnt Associations PARC

13. Al Basma Club for the Disabled

14. Alliance Internationale -AIDL

15. Alquds center for Political Studies

16. Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action)

17. Americares

18. Amos Trust

19. Anera

20. AOI

21. Arab foundation for civil society and human rights

22. Arab NGO Network for Development

23. Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz

24. Asociación Otra Escuela

25. Association of War Affected Women

26. Avaaz

27. Baptist Union of Wales

28. Belgian Academics and Artists for Palestine

29. bina

30. Bond, the UK network for INGOs

31. Broederlijk Delen

32. Bytes For All, Pakistan

33. Caesar Families Association

34. CAFOD

35. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

36. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)

37. Carolina Peace Center

38. Care International

39. CCFD-Terre Solidaire

40. Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights

41. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)

42. Center for Human Rights in Iran

43. Center for Peace Education, Miriam College

44. Centre for human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED)

45. Centre for Peace Research and Advocacy -CPRA

46. CESVI

47. cfd - The feminist Peace Organisation

48. Change Horizons Forum

49. ChildFund Alliance

50. Christian Aid

51. Christian Aid Ireland

52. Church World Service

53. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)

54. CIDSE

55. CISP

56. CISS - COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE SUD SUD

57. CIVICUS

58. CNCD-11.11.11

59. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific

60. COPE Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti

61. COSPE

62. Council for Arab-British Understanding

63. Council on American-Islamic Relations

64. CRIC - Centro Regionale d'Intervento per la Cooperazione ETS

65. Culturel Center Beethoven Bettounssi

66. DanChurchAid

67. Danish Refugee Council

68. Daraj Media

69. DC Peace Team

70. Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedom

71. Denis Hurley Peace Institute

72. Diakonia

73. Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality

74. EL SPACE

75. Embrace the Middle East

76. Entraide & Fraternité

77. Episcopal Relief & Development

78. Escola de Cultura de Pau (School for a Culture of Peace)

79. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor

80. European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

81. European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (ECR2P)

82. Fédération Internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH)

83. Feminist Task Force

84. Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid

85. Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)

86. France Palestine Mental Health Network

87. Friends Committee on National Legislation

88. Friends of Nablus and Surrounding areas (FONSA)

89. Fundación Cultura de Paz

90. FUNDACIÓN MUNDUBAT

91. Futuro en Común

92. Gandhi Development Trust Phoenix Settlement Trust

93. Gender Action for Peace and Security

94. Gender Advisory Team

95. Genera: Red de mujeres feministas por la equidad de género en el desarrollo

96. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

97. Global Communities

98. Global Justice Center

99. Global Justice Now

100. Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)

101. Global Rights

102. GPPAC Pacific-Pacific Women Mediators Network

103. Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion

104. Haliéus

105. Health Poverty Action

106. HEKS/EPER – Swiss Church Aid

107. Helen Suzman Foundation

108. HelpAge International

109. HIAS

110. Human Rights & Democracy Media Center ‎‏“‏SHAMS‏"‏

111. Human Rights Sentinel

112. ICNA

113. ICNA Council for Social Justice

114. ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICNA CSJ)

115. IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation

116. IM Swedish Development Partner

117. Ina autra senda - Swiss Friends of Combatants for Peace

118. Institute for Security Studies

119. International Federation for Human Rights

120. INTERSOS

121. Islamic Center of Detroit

122. Islamic Relief

123. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK- UK

124. Jewish Network for Palestine

125. Jewish Voice for Democracy and Justice in Israel/Palestine jvjp, Switzerland

126. Jews Against The Occupation Sydney

127. Jusoor Center for Studies and Development

128. Kairos Palestine

129. Kairos Palestine Sweden

130. Kenya Human Rights Commission

131. KURVE Wustrow - Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action e.V.

132. La Coordinadora de ONGD -España

133. Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights

134. Liberian Energy Network

135. Ligue Algérienne de Défense des Droits de l'Homme - LADDH

136. Lutheran World Federation

137. MADRE

138. Marib Girls Foundation

139. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

140. MDM Network

141. Médecins Du Monde – Spain

142. Médecins Du Monde - Switzerland

143. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

144. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

145. medico international

146. medico international schweiz

147. Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

148. Mercy Corps

149. Mercy-USA for Aid and Development

150. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict - MENAPPAC

151. Middle East Children's Alliance

152. Migrant Roots Media

153. Min Haqi Foundation to empower women politically and economically

154. Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Justice and Peace Centre (Australian Province)

155. Misereor

156. Mouvement Social

157. Musaala Organization for Human Rights

158. Muslim Aid

159. Muslim Legal Fund of America

160. Mwatana for Human Rights

161. Naseef Muallem

162. National Cancer Control Foundatin - Yemen

163. Network of the independent Commission for Human rights in North Africa CIDH AFRICA

164. NGO SPES

165. NGOs Platform of Saida - Tajamoh

166. Nobel Women’s Initiative

167. Nonviolence Network in the Arab Countries

168. Nonviolent Peaceforce

169. Nophotozone

170. North American Imams Fellow

171. Norwegian Church Aid

172. Norwegian Refugee Council

173. Oxfam

174. Palestinian Human Rights Organisation "PHRO"

175. PAX

176. Pax Christi Australia

177. Pax Christi International

178. Pax Christi USA

179. Peace Direct

180. Peace Organization for Peaceful Coexistence

181. Peace Watch Switzerland

182. Peacemaker Trust

183. Permanent Peace Movement

184. Piattaforma OSC italiane in Medio Oriente e Mediterraneo

185. Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine

186. PREMIERE URGENCE INTERNATIONALE

187. Première Urgence Internationale

188. Project on Middle East Democracy

189. Protection Approaches

190. PVE for Peace

191. Rebuilding Alliance

192. ReThinking Foreign Policy

193. Revista La Mar de Onuba

194. Right to Movement Palestine

195. Romanian Peace Institute - PATRIR

196. Roshanka

197. Sabeel

198. Sabeel Kairos Norway

199. Sabeel-Kairos UK

200. Save the Children

201. SALAM NGO

202. SAM Organization for Rights and Libertie

203. Sanad alBasra Organization for Human Rights

204. Save the Children

205. SB Overseas Soutien Belge

206. Search for Common Ground

207. Secours Islamique France (SIF)

208. SEEN.TV

209. Seenaryo

210. Sheba Youth Foundation

211. Shining Star educational organization of Afghanistan

212. Social Development Hodeida Girls Foundation

213. Solutions for a Small Planet

214. SOS Children's Villages Palestine

215. Study sky academy

216. SUDS - International association of solidarity and cooperation

217. Syrian American Medical Society

218. Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).

219. Syrians for Truth and Justice

220. Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights

221. Tanzania Community Health Information and Support

222. Terre des Hommes Italia

223. Terre des hommes Foundation Lausanne

224. The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation

225. The Episcopal Church

226. The Foundation for Middle East Peace

227. The Khalifa Ihler Institute

228. The Mosque Cares | Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed

229. The Palestinian Return Centre

230. UJFP ACAT

231. UK-Palestine Mental Health Network

232. United Against Inhumanity

233. United Nations Association - UK

234. University Network for Human Rights

235. UOSSM International

236. US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)

237. Vento di Terra

238. Viva Salud

239. Vrede vzw

240. War Child Sweden

241. War Child Holland

242. War Child UK

243. War on Want

244. Welfare Association (UK)

245. WESPAC Foundation, Inc.

246. WeWorld

247. WeWorld - Member of ChildFund Alliance

248. Womankind Worldwide

249. Women for Peace

250. Women for Women International

251. Women in Black Vienna

252. Women Political Alliance - Kenya

253. Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)

254. Women’s Institute for Leadership Development

255. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom UK

256. Women's International Peace Centre

257. Womens Refugee Commission

258. Worldwide Women's Forum

259. Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation

260. Youth Vision Society

261. Youths Volunteering for Sustainable Development (YOVSUD)

262. Northern Friends Peace Board

263. Coexist Community kitchen CIC

264. Foro Ciudadano Relaciones Celac-UE

265. STOPAIDS

266. Innovation for Change South Asia

267. Women for Women International

268. Peace Committee, 15th St. Friends Meeting, NYC

269. Human Life Foundation for Development and Relief

270. Committee to Protect Journalists

271. UN Youth Association of Romania - Cluj Branch

272. Jewish Voice for Peace Albuquerque

273. The United Church of Canada

274. Ajyal Foundation for Education

275. Schengen Peace Foundation

276. Church and Peace - Ecumenical peace church network in Europe

277. Democracy School

278. Cotidiana Mujer AFM

279. RefuAid

280. Reclaim The Sea

281. The Pickwell Foundation

282. Global Link

283. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)

284. The Center for Mind Body Medicine

285. City of Sanctuary Sheffield

286. Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

287. Humans for Rights Network

288. English for Action (EFA) London

289. Plan International USA

290. Medact

291. Counterpoints Arts

292. Salam For Yemen

293. European Network on Statelessness

294. CARAS

295. World Student Christian Federation

296. the3million

297. Shma Koleinu - Alternative Jewish Voices of NZ

298. IPMHN Ireland Palestine Mental Health Network

299. Israelisches Komitee gegen Hauszerstörungen (ICAHD) Germany

300. International Rescue Committee

301. ASSOPACEPALESTINA

302. Educo Member of ChildFund Alliance

303. Refugee Support Group

304. Association Ifriqiya

305. Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights

306. DanChurchAid

307. Mercy Corps

308. North West Migrants Forum

309. Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights