Orkney’s Peace campaigners will be holding a vigil for Gaza outside St Magnus Cathedral, Broad Street, Kirkwall between 1 and 2pm on Saturday 12 July. The organisers welcome all who wish to join them in their call for an immediate ceasefire, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages.
The killing of people queueing up for food aid at the Israeli/USA militarised distribution centres has continued with civilians being targeted and shot at. 615 people have been killed there. Another 183 people were killed on the routes of humanitarian convoys.
UNICEF has condemned the killing of 15 Palestinians, including nine children and four women, who were waiting in line for nutritional supplements provided by Project Hope, a UNICEF partner organization. An additional 30 people were injured, including 19 children from the Israeli weapons strike.
The head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, said:
“The killing of families trying to access life-saving aid is unconscionable,” she said in a statement.
“These were mothers seeking a lifeline for their children after months of hunger and desperation.”
They included Donia, whose one-year-old son, Mohammed, was killed. She reported that the boy had spoken his first words to her just hours earlier.
“Donia now lies in a hospital bed, critically injured by the blast, clutching Mohammed’s tiny shoe,” said Ms. Russell. “No parent should have to face such tragedy.”
“This is the cruel reality confronting many in Gaza today after months of insufficient aid being allowed into the territory, and parties to the conflict failing to uphold basic responsibilities to protect civilians.”
“The lack of aid means children are facing starvation while the risk of famine grows.
“International law is clear: all parties to the conflict have an obligation to protect civilians and ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance.
“We call on Israel to urgently review its rules of engagement to ensure full compliance with international humanitarian law, notably the protection of civilians including children, and to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of this incident and all allegations of violations.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 11 trucks carrying medical aid, including surgical supplies, assistive devices, orthopaedic instruments and other essential medical items, had entered Gaza on Tuesday 8 July. The supplies will be distributed to various health facilities across Gaza. More than 1,500 medical staff have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Many more have been taken to prison camps inside Israel.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/gaza-doctors-under-attack
Click on this link for OCHA’s updates on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ukraine, Sudan, Somalia.
The Orkney Vigil welcomes all who wish to join them in calling for an end to the Gaza Genocide.
You can view films of the Orkney vigils on The Orkney News YouTube Channel.
A Selection of images credit Mike Robertson
Fiona Grahame
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