NGO Action News – 3 October 2024

This newsletter informs about recent and upcoming activities of Civil Society Organizations working on the question of Palestine. The Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariat provide the information “as is” without warranty of any kind, and do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in the websites linked in the newsletter.

You may find previous issues of the NGO Action News in Spanish here.  

You may find issues of the NGO Action News in French here. 

You may find issues of the NGO Action News in Arabic here.

Middle East

• On 2 October, 7amleh, in partnership with the Institute for Middle East Understanding, organized the webinar “Palestinian Digital Rights Study Group: Big Tech and Genocide”, moderated by Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Participants discussed 7amleh’s latest report on Big Tech’s complicity in the ongoing alleged genocide in Gaza.
• On 2 October, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights issued a press release to denounce the denial of thousands of sick and wounded Palestinians’ right to travel for treatment outside the Gaza Strip. The NGO stated that banning critically ill patients from immediate travel would lead to a slow and painful death given the plight they had to go through in the already decimated healthcare facilities due to the ongoing war. According to the statement among these patients were about 10,000 cancer patients in need of medical evacuation, including 4,200 women and 750 children with cancer and other chronic diseases, with at least 200 new monthly cancer cases adding to the backlog.
• On 1 October, Physicians for Human Rights, along with 17 health and human rights organizations, issued the joint statement “Requirements and Principles for Upholding Palestinians’ Right to Health”. The document emphasized that healthcare and social determinants of health, such as economic stability, nutritional security, housing, education, and physical safety, do not exist in a vacuum and will remain compromised and targeted as long as Israel’s military occupation and blockade in Palestine continue.
• On 1 October, Ir Amim published the document “Education in East Jerusalem – 2024 Report”. The report highlighted that there are still around 20,000 children in East Jerusalem whose educational status is unsure or unknown, with no possibility to monitor their well-being and educational rights. Moreover, the NGO informed that an additional 2,447 classrooms are still needed in East Jerusalem to adequately accommodate all school-aged children.
• On 26 September, the Institute for Palestine Studies organised the seminar “Humanitarian Camouflage: Israel Rewrites the Laws of War to Legitimize the Genocide in Gaza”. Participants included Luigi Daniele, Professor at Nottingham Law School; Nicola Perugini, Professor at the University of Edinburgh; and Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967. Speakers discussed the appropriation of international humanitarian law as a legal-political strategy to mask atrocities while framing Gaza’s Palestinian population as a “terrorist” group to be eliminated. Ultimately, the speakers raised urgent concerns about how such legal distortions may enable future genocides globally, under the guise of lawful warfare.
• On September 26, Yesh Din and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel petitioned the High Court of Israel, demanding the repeal a newly signed military order transferring hundreds of administrative powers from the Head of the Civil Administration in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to his Deputy, relating to every aspect of governance. The petition argues that the transfer of powers, as defined in the Order, fundamentally changes the structure of Israeli control in the West Bank since it divests administrative and legislative powers from the military and transfers them to a civilian system that has been established within the Ministry of Defense. The NGOs stated that these changes violate international law, severely impinge on Palestinians’ human rights and further entrench the crime of apartheid.

Africa, Asia and Europe

• On 1 October, the Norwegian Refugee Council issued a press release stating that a complete and lasting ceasefire was the only way to end the cycle of death, destruction, and loss for millions of civilians in the region, after almost a year since the escalation of hostilities in Israel and Gaza. The NGO stated that the needs of the civilian population in Gaza remained vast due to Israeli restrictions, the erosion of the social fabric, and a breakdown of law and order, adding that all crossings into Gaza must be opened to allow for a scaling up of aid.
• On 1 October, the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) published an article reporting on the NGO’s meeting with Katarina Tapio, Head of the Human Rights Section at the European Union (EU) Delegation to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, to discuss the escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon. The NGO urged the EU to take a more assertive role in calling for an immediate ceasefire and increasing humanitarian support to the affected populations, and expressed concern over the destruction of EU-funded humanitarian projects in Gaza and the West Bank, which have been severely damaged or rendered inoperable due to ongoing Israeli military operations.
• On 24 September, Law for Palestine announced the publication of a new database that compiles key United Nations resolutions calling for sanctions and embargoes against states that violate international legal norms. This initiative aims to provide states, civil society organisations, and researchers with a comprehensive record of significant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions related to the matter.

North America

• On 2 October, Americans for Peace Now held the webinar discussion “UNRWA’s Continued Challenges”. Participants, including William Deere, Director of UNRWA’s Washington Representative Office, discussed the many challenges the Agency is currently facing, from hostilities hindering the delivery of aid to southern Gaza to the steps to be taken for the US government to restore funding.
• On 30 September, Human Rights Watch informed that Israel Defense Forces attacks against and unlawful blockade of Gaza have inflicted profound suffering on children with disabilities, and explosive weapons have left many others with permanent disabilities. The NGO added that the ongoing siege of Gaza caused disproportionate harm to children with disabilities, who already faced a precarious situation, and they are at particular risk of lasting psychological harm.

United Nations

• On 2 October, OCHA published a “Gaza Humanitarian Response Update”. The report highlighted the actions and challenges faced by humanitarian actors operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Among many other humanitarian needs, OCHA stressed that health facilities in Gaza continue to face severe supply shortages due to obstacles hindering the entry of humanitarian aid and a growing backlog of health supplies and equipment awaiting entry into Gaza. The report also informed that Shelter Cluster partners continued to face challenges in importing shelter materials, which was deeply concerning as the winter season approaches. The Cluster has been forced to prioritise the bare minimum of shelter items, which would not provide dignified shelter.
• On 30 September, the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People published its newsletter on recent activities covering the period July-September 2024. The newsletter highlighted the recent events organized by the Committee as well its statements and other activities completed during this period.
• On 27 September, Secretary-General António Guterres urged the Security Council to unite in support of an immediate ceasefire leading to a viable two-State solution, as that was the only way to end this cycle of tragedy. He stated further that relentless Israeli bombardment and hostilities have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October 2023, including many women and children. Countless others have been injured, maimed and traumatized for life. The Secretary-General also urged the Israeli authorities to do everything in their power to end attacks on UN personnel and property, to stop spreading disinformation against UN officials and entities, and to speed up the approval of visas and procurement requests.