{PBJFlorida} The invasion of Gaza has begun.

Thursday 17 July 2014

{PBJFlorida} The invasion of Gaza has begun.

Hello everyone,

Israel's invasion of Gaza has begun!! Here are four tweets you can send now:

#Israel / #Gaza: UN must impose arms embargo and mandate an international investigation http://owl.li/z425Q,

Cut off US arms to #Israel. UN arms embargo for Israel, #Hamas, and Palestinian armed groups now. http://bit.ly/1mPcjev @IsraelinUSA #Gaza

Why did @NBCNews pull reporter @AymanM from #Gaza after he reported killing of 4 kids by Israel? http://owl.li/zhONk #CiviliansUnderFire

Read @Amnesty's letter to Congress: "Suspend all arms transfers to #Israel." http://bit.ly/Israel01#Gaza #WestBank

Additional background information on our concerns is below.

The civilian death toll from Israeli strikes continues to rise in Gaza. Meanwhile, Palestinian armed groups continue to fire indiscriminate rockets into Israel.

WHAT IS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CALLING FOR FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY?

- A UN-mandated international investigation into violations committed on all sides.

- A UN-imposed arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups.

- Individual countries must immediately suspend all transfers of arms, military equipment, military assistance, and munitions to all parties to the conflict.

- The U.S. must suspend all arms, ammunition, assistance, and military equipment to Israel.

WHAT ARE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S CORE CONCERNS?

- Serious human rights violations are happening amidst ongoing Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip and continuing indiscriminate rocket fire from Palestinian armed groups into Israel.

- The firing of indiscriminate rockets by Hamas and Palestinian armed groups is a war crime. Parties to an armed conflict must distinguish between military targets and civilians.

- Israeli air strikes have targeted civilian homes in Gaza on the basis that they are the family homes of "Hamas operatives", destroying the homes after warning the families to leave. Deliberately attacking civilian homes constitutes a war crime and also amounts to collective punishment against families, unless Israeli authorities can provide specific information to show how a home is being used to make an effective contribution to military actions.

- Israel's 7-year blockade of the Gaza Strip has brought great hardship to Gaza's 1.7 million Palestinians. The Gaza blockade amounts to illegal collective punishment and must be lifted immediately.

- Israel and Egypt must ensure that sufficient amounts of medical and humanitarian supplies are allowed into Gaza. Israel and Egypt must also facilitate the exit from Gaza of anyone who needs urgent medical treatment.

MORE RESOURCES:

AIUSA Blog:
"The United States is Not Just a Bystander in Israel-Gaza Violence" July 14, 2014
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/uncategorized/the-united-states-is-not-just-a-bystander-in-israel-gaza-violence/

AI Press Release:
"Israel/Gaza: UN must impose arms embargo and mandate an international investigation as civilian death toll rises" July 11, 2014
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/israelgaza-un-must-impose-arms-embargo-and-mandate-international-investigation-civilian-death-t

AIUSA Letter to Congress:
"Until the Government of Israel enacts serious mechanisms to ensure accountability for human rights violations, the U.S. Congress should suspend all arms transfers to Israel." June 26, 2014
http://bit.ly/Israel01

AIUSA Blog:
"Gaza Blockade: Still Operational, Still Violating Human Rights" October 23, 2012
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/middle-east/gaza-blockade-still-operational-still-violating-human-rights/