[Press release] Première Urgence Internationale is appealing to the warring parties in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon to protect the lives of civilians.

The escalation of violence over the last 24 hours has resulted in the deaths of several hundred civilians, and the next 24 hours will no doubt be just as dramatic in human terms. As always, civilians are paying the heavy price of war and are caught in the crossfire between the parties to the conflict.

As a humanitarian organisation, Première Urgence Internationale condemns all forms of violence against civilians, and has never ceased to remind everyone involved that International Humanitarian Law must be respected by all actors, so that civilian populations and infrastructures are spared the fighting and its consequences.

The guarantee of a safe, protected space and access to vital services must be safeguarded whatever the crisis situation facing the population.

This is a moral obligation that all parties to the conflict cannot ignore.

We also call on the international community to ensure that the framework of International Humanitarian Law is respected.

In the Gaza Strip, civilians have received messages from the Israeli army inviting some residents to leave their homes because bombardments were about to take place in their neighbourhoods. The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world and has been under a blockade for 16 years, preventing civilians from leaving.

Since 2008, Première Urgence Internationale teams have been working tirelessly to ensure access to essential services for the civilian population of Gaza. This new escalation leads us to fear the worst in humanitarian terms.

The warring parties and neighbouring countries must ensure that humanitarian corridors allow families to take shelter in safe areas and receive humanitarian assistance.

Press contact

Amal HUART: + 33 7 83 42 57 19 / [email protected]