Open letter to the Swedish government: Do more to stop the abuses in Gaza 

Oxfam Sweden, UNICEF Sweden, Save the Children and MSF, organizations working on the ground in Gaza, jointly demand that Sweden does more to stop the violence and stand up for humanitarian law.

The war on civilians in Gaza must end
The situation in northern Gaza is apocalyptic. Over the weekend, more than 50 children were killed in 48 hours in Israeli attacks. Vaccination clinics and hospitals have been bombed. Colleagues doing their utmost to deliver life-saving emergency aid have been fired upon.
Israel must stop its attacks on civilians and those trying to help them.  

The Foreign Minister has expressed horror at all the children killed and stressed that international humanitarian law must be respected. How will Sweden act to pressure Israel to comply with the laws of war? 

Words must be followed by action. The Swedish government must do more to protect civilians, especially children, in Gaza and act to ensure that Israel respects international humanitarian law.  

Everyone in northern Gaza is at risk of death 

Hundreds of people have been killed in northern Gaza in recent weeks. Almost no emergency aid is being allowed in, not even medicines and other medical supplies. The injured, sick and malnourished people, thousands of whom are children, have virtually no access to medical care as hospitals have been bombed and forcibly evacuated. Medical staff have been arrested and taken away by the Israeli military.
Schools, where desperate people have sought refuge, are bombed daily. Rescue workers trying to dig injured people out of bombed houses are deliberately attacked. Children die from treatable injuries because they are denied care and medical evacuation by Israel.
All people in northern Gaza are at imminent risk of death from disease, starvation and violence.  

Even war has laws 

• International humanitarian law requires the protection of civilians. Even war has laws. That medical personnel are protected. That civilian infrastructure is not attacked. We see daily how humanitarian law and children's human rights are ignored in Gaza.

• Attacks on civilians and what remains of civilian infrastructure in Gaza must stop.

• Humanitarian aid must be allowed through and the safety of our staff must be guaranteed as they carry out their life-saving work.
  The wounded and sick must receive the care they need. Medical staff and hospitals must be protected.

• Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups must release hostages immediately and unconditionally and comply with international humanitarian law.

Sweden must stand up for international humanitarian law 

When the laws of war and the rights of children are so openly and brutally disregarded, respect for international law and the whole system of global cooperation is undermined. It creates a dangerous situation both here and now and for the future. Sweden can and must stand up for humanitarian law and children's human rights, especially when the abuses are committed by a country with which Sweden and the EU have close relations. The war against civilians, not least children, in Gaza must have consequences. 

We call on the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to do everything in your power to stop the violence and stand up for humanitarian law.
This war must end.   

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Pernilla Baralt - Secretary General UNICEF Sweden
Suzanne Standfast - Secretary General Oxfam Sweden
Åsa Regnér - Secretary General Save the Children
Ylva Jonsson Strömberg - Secretary General MSF Sweden