In February 2024, ACRI sent a letter to prominent heads of the government entitled “Israel’s Obligations towards the Protected Population in the Gaza strip,” outlining the responsibilities of Israel, according to international law, towards the civilian population as the military assumes control over parts of the Gaza strip. ACRI demanded Israel must increase the supply of humanitarian aid and attend to the needs of protected residents in Gaza. Nearly 3 months later the famine has only worsened, the humanitarian crisis continues to unfold, and Israeli extremist have begun attacking humanitarian aid trucks in route to Gaza. The attackers violently storm and block aid trucks while destroying aid products, vandalize and loot the aid products, damage the trucks and set them on fire, while disrupting delivery of humanitarian aid for days at a time. All of this occurs often without any interference from the enforcement authorities, and in many cases with their assistance.
Simultaneously, ACRI has witnessed a level of police violence towards demonstrators across the country, never seen before. The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir’s, agenda is clear: silence dissenting voices and aid voices that dehumanize Palestinians and support the war effort. The result has been over enforcement in protests and a blatant under enforcement in the context of protecting humanitarian aid. ACRI views these acts as a deliberate attempt to starve the civilian population in Gaza, which is a violation of every obligation of Israel under international law.
Last week, together with Gisha, Physicians for Human Rights and HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, we sent an urgent letter to the War Cabinet. Together we stated that the aid attackers operate in broad daylight and only sometimes, after long hours of blockades, few of those present are arrested. However, enforcement is often only present for appearance purposes. Even those who have been documented causing real damage to trucks, vandalizing and looting their contents, are not prosecuted for their illegal actions.
Moreover, we demanded that the state of Israel oblige to international law to ensure that aid trucks reach Gaza safely and that legal action be taken against aid destroyers. Allowing the interruption of the delivery of humanitarian aid to starve civilians is a war crime under international law, and it is the duty of the Israeli authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
ACRI continues to work tirelessly during such troubling times, and we continue to stay united in our mission to protect fundamental human rights and democracy for all. Join us on this journey today.