Amid spiraling humanitarian catastrophe, 150+ NGOs call for ceasefire and an end to impunity

Mohammed Zaanoun / Activestills

PHILADELPHIA (October 24, 2024) - In a stirring message to United Nations member states, a coalition of more than 150 NGOs issued a statement to urge the international community to secure an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, Gaza, Israel, and the region. The statement calls for an end to the impunity that has allowed atrocities by Israeli forces against civilians to continue and escalate amid the growing humanitarian catastrophe.

"Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity," reads the statement, released today by the coalition. "It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation. All UN Member States must prevent further atrocities and ensure that those responsible for any violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, are held accountable. Failure to act now risks further eroding international norms and emboldening perpetrators. The cycle of violence against civilians needs to stop."

The statement was released as the government of France is hosting an international conference on Lebanon, bringing together Lebanon's partner states, the United Nations, the European Union and international, regional and civil-society organizations with the aim to address the crisis in Lebanon.

"Failure to act now is a choice," the NGO statement reads, "A choice that will fail to stop and prevent future atrocities."

Read the full statement here.

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