Toronto, ON, October 20, 2023 – Plan International, alongside 500 organizations from 60 countries have signed this open letter as of 20 Oct 2023.

We have witnessed unfathomable death and destruction in the Gaza Strip and Israel. Thousands of people have been killed, injured, displaced, and nearly 200 remain held hostage, including children and the elderly.

In Gaza, the UN has said that water, food, fuel, medical supplies, and even body bags, are running out, due to the siege. The UN warned that people – particularly young children – will soon start dying of severe dehydration. Neighborhoods have been destroyed and turned into complete rubble. Palestinians in search of safety have nowhere to go. Many of those who relocated from northern Gaza to the south after the relocation order by the Israeli army were reportedly bombed as they attempted to flee or once they arrived in southern Gaza.

The events of the last week have led us to the precipice of a humanitarian catastrophe and the world can no longer wait to act. It is our collective responsibility.

On Sunday, October 15th, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator to the Occupied Palestinian Territory appealed to all parties to the conflict, and to Member States with influence, to urgently agree to a humanitarian ceasefire.

Today, we put our voices together and call on all Heads of State, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground, to prioritize the preservation of human life above all else. During this ceasefire, we call on all parties to unconditionally:

1. Facilitate the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies, fuel, and the resumption of electricity and internet to Gaza, in addition to safe passage of humanitarian and medical staff  
2. Free all civilian hostages, especially children and elderly
3. Allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN facilities, schools, hospitals, and health facilities in northern Gaza and commit to protecting them along with the civilians and staff inside them at all times
4. Rescind orders by the Government of Israel for civilians to depart northern Gaza
5. Allow patients in critical condition to be medically evacuated for urgent care

The UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and all world leaders with influence must take immediate action to ensure a ceasefire comes into effect. It remains our only option to avert further loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe. Anything less will forever be a stain on our collective conscience.

Civilians are not bargaining chips. Families need a chance to bury and mourn their dead. The cycle of violence against innocent civilians needs to stop.

Signatories:

11.11.11
38 Degrees
50:50 NI
ABCD Bethlehem
Abductees Mothers Association
Academic Foundation for Peace-Conflict Studies
ACAT France
Access Now
ACT Church of Sweden
ACTION AGAINST HUNGER
Action Corps
Action For Humanity
ActionAid International
Africa4Palestine
Africans Rising
Afro-Middle East Centre
Agaji Global Unity Foundation, Nigeria
Agriculture Developmrnt Associations PARC
AIDOS – Associazione Italiana Donne per lo Sviluppo ETS
Ajyal Foundation for Education
Al Basma Club for the Disabled
Al-Nidal Association for Human Rights
Alfaf for development and reconstruction
Alliance Internationale -AIDL
Alquds center for Political Studies
American Friends Service Committee
Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action)
Americares
Amis de Sabeel France
Amos Trust
Anera
Another Europe is Possible
AOI
Arab Foundation for Civil Society and Human Rights
Arab NGO Network for Development
Armadilla Scs
ARSIS Association for the Social Support of Youth
Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz
Asia Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education (APNIEVE)-Philippines
Asociación de Familiares de Presos y Desaparecidos Saharauis (Asociacón de Familiares de Presos y Desaparecidos Saharauis (AFAPREDESA)
Asociación Otra Escuela
Association for Rengein Tanjoji International Cooperation
Association Ifriqiya
Association of War Affected Women
ASSOPACEPALESTINA
Avaaz
Baptist Union of Wales
Basmeh & Zeitooneh for Relief and Development
Baytna
BELaady Organization for Human Rights
Belgian Academics and Artists for Palestine
bina
Bond, the UK network for INGOs
Broederlijk Delen
Bytes For All, Pakistan
Caesar Families Association
CAFOD
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
CARAS
Care International
Carolina Peace Center
CCFD-Terre Solidaire
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Center for Human Rights in Iran
Center for Peace Education, Miriam College
Central Asian Network on Statelessness
Centre for human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED)
Centre for Peace Research and Advocacy -CPRA
CESVI
cfd – The feminist Peace Organisation
Change Horizons Forum
Charity & Security Network
Child Rights International Network (CRIN)
ChildFund Alliance
Christian Aid Ireland
Christian Aid UK
Church and Peace – Ecumenical peace church network in Europe
Church World Service
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
CIDSE
CISP
CISS – COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE SUD SUD
City of Sanctuary Sheffield
CIVICUS
Civil Rights Program Kosovo
Climate Refugees
CNCD-11.11.11
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific
Coexist Community kitchen CIC
Committee of the Families of the Kidnapped and Disappeared in Lebanon (CFKDL)
Committee to Protect Journalists
Consortium on Gender, Security, and Human Rights
COPE Cooperazione Paesi Emergenti
Cordaid
COSPE
Cotidiana Mujer AFM
Council for Arab-British Understanding
Council on American-Islamic Relations
Counterpoints Arts
CRIC – Centro Regionale d’Intervento per la Cooperazione ETS
Cultura è libertà, una campagna per la Palestina
Culturel Center Beethoven Bettounssi
Cyprus Refugee Council
DanChurchAid
Danish Refugee Council
Daraj Media
Dawlaty
DC Peace Team
Dedar organization
Défense des Enfants International – Belgique
Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedom
Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
Democracy School
Denis Hurley Peace Institute
Deutsch-Palsätinensiche Gesellschaft (DPG) e.V.
Diakonia
Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality
Dóchas
docP – BDS Netherlands
Economistas sin Fronteras
EducAid
Educo Member of ChildFund Alliance
EL SPACE
Embrace the Middle East
empowervan
English for Action (EFA) London
Entraide & Fraternité
Episcopal Relief & Development
Equal Legal Aid
Escola de Cultura de Pau (School for a Culture of Peace)
Eşit Haklar İçin İzleme Derneği
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor
European Alternatives
European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (ECR2P)
European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine – ECCP
European Network on Statelessness
Farmers and Herders Initiative for peace and development Fhipd
Fédération Internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH)
Feminist Task Force
Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid
Fields of Peace
Foro Ciudadano Relaciones Celac-UE
Forum Civil Peace Service (forumZFD)
ForumCiv
Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)
France Palestine Mental Health Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Friends of Nablus and Surrounding areas (FONSA)
Fundación Cultura de Paz
Fundación ISCOD – Sindicalistas sin fronteras
FUNDACIÓN MUNDUBAT
Futuro en Común
Gandhi Development Trust Phoenix Settlement Trust
Gender Action for Peace and Security
Gender Advisory Team
Gender Studies and Information Organization ~GSIO
Genera: Red de mujeres feministas por la equidad de género en el desarrollo
Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Global Communities
Global Health Italian Network
Global Justice Center
Global Justice Now
Global Link
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
Global Rights
Global Witness
GPPAC Pacific-Pacific Women Mediators Network
Graduate Women International
Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
Greek Forum of Migrants
Haliéus
Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion
Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights
Health Justice Initiative (HJI) South Africa
Health Poverty Action
HEKS/EPER – Swiss Church Aid
Helen Suzman Foundation
HelpAge Interational
HIAS
Hope and Homes for Children
Human Life Foundation for Development and Relief
Human Rights & Democracy Media Center ‎‏“‏SHAMS‏”‏
Human Rights Sentinel
Humance Heal For Human Rights
Humans for Rights Network
Husna Foundation
ICAHD Finland
ICERAS
ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICNA CSJ)
IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation
IM Swedish Development Partner
In Place of War
Ina autra senda – Swiss Friends of Combatants for Peace
INGO ALG CONSULTING GROUP
Innovation for Change – Middle East and North Africa
Innovation for Change South Asia
Institute for Policy Studies – New Internationalism Project
Institute for Security Studies
Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion
International Federation for Human Rights
International Federation for Rights and Development
International Press Institute
International Rescue Committee
INTERSOS
IPMHN Ireland Palestine Mental Health Network
Iraqi Alamal Association
Iraqi Women Network
Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Islamic Center of Boca Raton
Islamic Center of Detroit
Islamic Center of Yorba Linda
Islamic Relief
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK- UK
Israelisches Komitee gegen Hauszerstörungen (ICAHD) Germany
Itar for Social Development
Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines
Japan international Volunteer Center(JVC)
Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC)
Jewish Network for Palestine
Jewish Voice for Democracy and Justice in Israel/Palestine jvjp, Switzerland
Jewish Voice for Labour
Jewish Voice for Peace Albuquerque
Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council
Jews against the Occupation Sydney
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
Jusoor Center for Studies and Development
Kairos Palestine
Kairos Palestine – Sweden
Kairos Sabeel Netherlands
Kenya Human Rights Commission
Khulumani Support Group (supporting victims and survivors of gross human rights violations)
Kırkayak Kültür
KnK Japan
KURVE Wustrow – Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action e.V.
La Coordinadora de ONGD -España
Law Center of Advocates
Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy
Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
Lebanese Union for persons with physical disability/Arab forum for the rights of persons with disabilities
Legal Action Worldwide (LAW)
Liberian Energy Network
Libya Crimes Watch (LCW)
Libyan Anti-Torture Network
Ligue Algérienne de Défense des Droits de l’Homme – LADDH
Lutheran World Federation
MADRE
Malaysian Medical Relief Society (MERCY Malaysia)
Marib Girls Foundation
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Medact
Médecins du Monde Belgique
Médecins du Monde International Network
Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
MedGlobal
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
medico international germany
medico international schweiz
Medicus Mundi Italia
Mehad
MENA Statelessness Network (Hawiati)
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
Mercy Corps
Mercy-USA for Aid and Development
Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict – MENAPPAC
Middle East Children’s Alliance
Middle East Nonviolence and Democracy (MEND)
Migrant Roots Media
Min Haqi Foundation to empower women politically and economically
Misereor
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Justice and Peace Centre (Australian Province)
Mouvement Social
Musaala Organisation for Human Rights
Muslim Aid
Muslim Delegates and Allies
Muslim Legal Fund of America
Mwatana for Human Rights
Naseef Muallem
National Cancer Control Foundatin – Yemen
Nationality For All
Nederlands Palestina Komitee
Network for Children’s Rights
Network of the independent Commission for Human rights in North Africa
NGO SPES
NGOs Platform of Saida – Tajamoh
Nobel Women’s Initiative
Nonviolence Network in the Arab Countries
Nonviolent Peaceforce
Nophotozone
North American Imams Fellow
North West Migrants Forum
Northern Friends Peace Board
Norwegian Church Aid
Norwegian Refugee Council
Ofogh NGO
OMCT Tunisia
Outright International
Oxfam
Palestinian Human Rights Organisation “PHRO”
PARCIC
PASS Foundation – Peace for Sustainable Societies
PAX
Pax Christi Australia
Pax Christi Flanders
Pax Christi International
Pax Christi Pilipinas
Pax Christi USA
Peace & Justice (Scotland)
Peace and freedom ORG.( PFO)
Peace Boat
Peace Committee, 15th St. Friends Meeting, NYC
Peace Direct
Peace Organization for Peaceful Coexistence
Peace Watch Switzerland
Peace Winds Japan
Peacemaker Trust
Permanent Peace Movement
Physicians for Human Rights Israel
Piattaforma OSC italiane in Medio Oriente e Mediterraneo
Plan International
Plan International USA
Plateforme des ONG Françaises pour la Palestine
PREMIERE URGENCE INTERNATIONALE
Première Urgence Internationale
Project on Middle East Democracy
Protection Approaches
Public Aid Organization
PVE for Peace
PVE Works
Quakers in Britain
Rainbow Refugees NI
REACT Disaster Response
Rebuilding Alliance
Reclaim The Sea
Red Dot Foundation Global
RefuAid
Refugee Support Group
Relief International
Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED)
ReThinking Foreign Policy
Revista La Mar de Onuba
Right to Movement Palestine
Rights Realization Centre
Roma Active Albania
Romanian Peace Institute – PATRIR
Roshanka
Sabeel
Sabeel Kairos Norway
Sabeel-Kairos UK
Saferworld
Salam for Democracy and Human Rights
Salam For Yemen
SALAM NGO
SAM Organization for Rights and Libertie
Sanad alBasra Organization for Human Rights
Save the Children
SB Overseas Soutien Belge
Schengen Peace Foundation
Search for Common Ground
Secours Islamique France (SIF)
Secure Scotland
SEDRA-FEDERACIÓN PLANIFICACIÓN FAMILIAR
SEEN.TV
Seenaryo
Sheba Youth Foundation
Shining Star educational organization of Afghanistan
Shma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices of NZ
Social Development Hodeida Girls Foundation
Solidaridad Internacional Andalucia
Solutions for a Small Planet
SOS Children’s Villages International
SOS Children’s Villages Netherlands
SOS Children’s Villages Palestine
Statefree
Ster
Stichting Vluchteling
STOPAIDS
Strategic Dialogue Group
Study sky academy
SUDS – International association of solidarity and cooperation
Svalorna Latinamerika
Swiss Palestine Association
Syrian American Medical Society
Syrian Forum
Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).
Syrians for Truth and Justice
Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights
Tanzania Community Health Information and Support
Terre Des Hommes Foundation Lausanne
Terre des Hommes International Federation
Terre des Hommes Italia
The Center for Mind Body Medicine
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
The Episcopal Church
The Foundation for Middle East Peace
The Khalifa Ihler Institute
The Mosque Cares | Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed
The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden (PGS)
The Palestinian Return Centre
The Pickwell Foundation
The Syria Campaign
The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM)
The United Church of Canada
the3million
Tirana Legal Aid Society, TLAS
Together
Train of Hope Dortmund e.V.
Tripla Difesa O.N.L.U.S
TWANA Organisation for sustainable development-iraq
UK-Palestine Mental Health Network
UN Association of San Diego
UN Youth Association of Romania – Cluj Branch
United Against Inhumanity
United Nations Association – UK
University Network for Human Rights
UOSSM International
US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)
Vento di Terra
Veterinarians Without Borders/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières North America
VIS
Viva Salud
Voicing the Void
VOLONTARI NEL MONDO RTM
Vrede vzw
War Child Canada
War Child Holland
War Child Sweden
War Child UK
War Childhood Museum
War on Want
We Effect
Welfare Association (UK)
WESPAC Foundation, Inc.
WeWorld – Member of ChildFund Alliance
WILPF Spain
Woman Rights Center in Samawah
Womankind Worldwide
Women and Gender Institute
Women for Peace
Women for Women International
Women in Black Vienna
Women Political Alliance – Kenya
Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)
Women’s Institute for Leadership Development
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom UK
Women’s International Peace Centre
Women’s Platform
Womens Refugee Commission
World Federalist Movement/ Institute for Global Policy
World Organisation Against Torture
World Student Christian Federation
Worldwide Women’s Forum
Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation
Yemen without Conflict Organization
Yoga and Sport with Refugees
Youth Against Irregular Migration
Youth Vision Society
Youths Volunteering for Sustainable Development (YOVSUD)
Zhian health organization
منظمة الدراسات و المعلومات الجندرية (Organization on Gender Studies and Information)
منظمة المسلة لتنمية الموارد البشرية (Al-Masala Organization for Human Resources Development)

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Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International has been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years and is now active in more than 80 countries.

We stand with children, especially girls, wherever they are oppressed, exploited, left behind or not equally valued. We’re determined optimists and will continue to persevere until we are all equal.

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