The world’s Human Rights Council has voted  “to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, the occupying Power…to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights”. 

The vote came just days after workers for the food charity World Central Kitchen were killed by an Israeli strike on their clearly marked aid convoy travelling in a deconflicted zone. Despite coordinating movements with the IDF (Israeli Defence Force), the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route.

The seven killed are from Australia, Poland, United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and Palestine.

 World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore said:

“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable.

“I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished.”

The First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, has also called for an immediate end to arms sales to Israel from the UK. In a letter to the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he said:

“The UK Government continue to allow British-based companies to arm Israel despite the fact that Israel has killed children, women, aid workers and bombed hospitals, schools and refugee camps. I have said repeatedly that Israel has the right to defend itself and called for hostages to be released. I believe, however, that Israel’s actions have long since gone beyond a legitimate response. Enough is enough. The Israeli Government must be held to account.

“I therefore write again to demand an immediate end to arms sales to Israel from the United Kingdom. The civilian death toll is intolerable, as is the killing of humanitarian workers who deliver vital aid to Palestinians facing starvation and violence at the hands of this Israeli government. By not stopping arms sales to Israel, the UK is in danger of being complicit in the killing of innocent civilians.”

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) maintains that the UK Government and arms industry is complicit in Israel’s killing of the seven aid workers in Gaza, which included three British citizens. The workers were killed by a strike from a Hermes 450 drone manufactured by Elbit Systems. The Hermes 450 is powered by a UK-made R902(W) Wankel engine, produced by Elbit subsidiary UAV Engines Limited in the UK.

Since 2015, the UK has licensed £487m worth of weapons to Israel. However, this does not include equipment exported via open licences. In particular, 15% of the value of every US-made F-35 combat aircraft, which Israel uses to bomb Gaza, is made in the UK, exports for which are covered by an open licence with no limit on the quantity or value of exports. CAAT conservatively estimates that the work on the 36 F-35s exported to Israel up to 2023 has been worth at least £368m to the UK arms industry.

CAAT’s media spokesperson, Emily Apple said:

“This government is complicit in the murder of UK aid workers in Gaza. It has had every opportunity to impose an arms embargo and has refused to do so. While our thoughts are with the families and friends of the aid workers killed, they are also with the families and friends of the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been killed by Israel.

“Not only is our government complicit in genocide, it knows it. Time and again David Cameron and Foreign Office ministers have refused to answer direct questions on the legal advice they’ve received. They have misled parliament and made a mockery of both our democracy and international law.”

Today, Saturday 6th of April, islanders in Orkney will again be meeting on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral between 1 and 2pm calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return of all hostages. Last weekend saw them participate in the international Kites for Gaza event.

The UN Human Rights Council has also denounced the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to aid military decision making in conflict that may contribute to international crimes. 

It decries the targeting of civilians, including on 7 October 2023, and demands the immediate release of all remaining hostages, persons arbitrarily detained and victims of enforced disappearance as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access to the hostages and detainees in line with international law. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that  “Respect for international law is in tatters.” He said that he was deeply troubled by reports that the Israeli military has been using AI to help identify targets during its relentless bombing of densely populated areas of Gaza. 

“No part of life and death decisions which impact entire families should be delegated to the cold calculation of algorithms”, he said. 

AI should only be used as a force for good, not to wage war “on an industrial level, blurring accountability.” 

Over the 6 months since the start of the horrors unfolding in Gaza 196 humanitarians including over 175 UN staffers have been killed, the vast majority serving with Palestine relief agency UNRWA. 

“Six months on, the world stands on the brink of mass starvation in Gaza, a regional conflagration and a “total loss of faith in global standards and norms.”

Click on this link to donate to UN Organisations working to deliver aid in Gaza

Readers of The Orkney News will also be interested to learn that LibDem MP Layla Moran who recently attended a public meeting in Orkney about the situation in Gaza has news that members of her family who had been trapped in Gaza have managed to escape but are left traumatised.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that the attack on the clearly marked aid vehicles of World Central Kitchen (WCK) was a ‘grave mistake’, and have said they will launch an investigation into the tragedy.

WCK has demanded that an independent commission investigate the killings saying “The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza.”

WCK founder José Andrés said:

“It’s not enough to simply try to avoid further humanitarian deaths, which have now approached close to 200. All civilians need to be protected, and all innocent people in Gaza need to be fed and safe. And all hostages must be released.”

“Their apologies for the outrageous killing of our colleagues represent cold comfort,” added WCK CEO Erin Gore. “It’s cold comfort for the victims’ families and WCK’s global family.

”Israel needs to take concrete steps to assure the safety of humanitarian aid workers. Our operations remain suspended.”

The official number of children who died from malnutrition in #Gaza, since October 2023, is now at 27, although the actual number will be much higher.

Meanwhile as the genocide continues, islanders in Orkney, welcome anyone who wishes to join them in their vigil on Saturday between 1 and 2pm on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral.

Fiona Grahame