Scientists for Palestine is monitoring, with increasing concern, the escalating situation in Palestine. While our primary mission centers on science and education, certain events compel us to voice our concerns on political matters. On October 7th 2023, Israel launched a full-fledged military offensive on the Gaza Strip in response to the attack by Hamas on that day that claimed over 1,300 lives, the overwhelming majority of these being civilians, and captured hostages. From the actions taken by the Israeli military in the early days [1,2,3] of what has been announced to be a long operation [4], the only word to accurately describe the scale of unfolding events is ‘genocidal’ [5]. It is evident that what we are witnessing is the collective punishment of a population of more than 2 million people.

At the time of writing this letter, well over 3,000 Palestinians (including at least 1,000 children [6]) have been killed by indiscriminate Israeli bombing, and over 10,000 have been injured [7]. Water, food, medical supplies, and energy (electricity and fuel) have been cut off, threatening a complete shutdown of all medical facilities in Gaza, including e.g. children's incubators and dialysis machines [8]. The number of internally displaced Palestinians without access to proper shelter or safety has just surpassed one million [9]. The reach of Israeli airstrikes has demonstrated a repeated breach of international law, resulting in the indiscriminate bombing of schools [10] as well as of two of the seven universities in the Gaza Strip, including the Islamic University of Gaza [11,12], the largest in the region. On October 17th, the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, was destroyed and this resulted in the deaths of over 500 people [13,14].

There is little doubt that the current escalation poses an existential threat to the entire academic community in Gaza.

We, the undersigned, deplore the killing of all civilians and mourn all these losses, feeling for the suffering of those bereaved, and acknowledging the desperation arising from decade after decade of Palestinian dispossession and humiliation. We recognize that, under international humanitarian law, “the only legitimate object which States should endeavor to accomplish during war is to weaken the military forces of the enemy” [15] and, in pursuing this aim, respect that “the right of the Parties to the conflict to choose methods or means of warfare is not unlimited” [16]. We thus call on academic institutions, international bodies, human rights groups, and media outlets to unite with us in condemning this unparalleled Israeli collective punishment. Furthermore, we call on our governments and on the United Nations to force an end to the hostilities immediately; to compel Israel to re-establish the supply of basic necessities, including water, food, fuel and medicine; to enable the UN Commission of Inquiry [17] to investigate and denounce all potential war crimes being committed; and to facilitate a long-term political solution that is based on justice and equality.

All signatures will be made public on Scientists for Palestine's website.

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