Heartbreaking Gazan children's letters handed to new PM

L-R: Ray Hasan, Christian Aid, International Programme Director and Reverend Claire Whitmore from Christians for Palestine.

Source: Christian Aid

Letters from Palestinian children, were handed into Number Ten Downing Street today, calling for an urgent ceasefire and end to the violence in Gaza. The letters are part of a renewed appeal for an immediate ceasefire, halt to arms sales to Israel and denounce the de facto annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank.

Christian Aid, which is one of the charities providing aid in Gaza, is urging the Prime Minister to make a statement to Parliament, and Richard Sewell, Dean of St George's College in Jerusalem, says there is "no time to lose for the new UK Government."

In a heartbreaking letter to the Prime Minister, the Palestinian Children's Council President, Mais Abdel Hadi, aged 15, says children in Gaza live in a "constant state of fear and anxiety, with shells accompanying us around the clock...", and asks, "why must we children pay such a horrendous price?"

Mais, is displaced with her family in Khan Younis Governorate. They have lost their home and belongings, and Mais warns "psychological wounds worsen, and physical suffering increases."

Hala Abu Saleem, 16, is also displaced after bombing severely damaged her home. "I should now be preparing for my final and most important year of school, but instead, I help my mother light the fire to cook what little food we have, food that doesn't even fill us," she tells the Prime Minister in her letter.

Christian Aid which has worked the poorest and most vulnerable people in the Middle East since the early 1950s, is urging the Prime Minister to make a statement to Parliament to signaling unequivocal support for upholding international humanitarian law and announce an immediate surge in operational support for humanitarian aid in Gaza.

While Starmer has set out the "clear and urgent need for a ceasefire", the children's passionate pleas underline the desperate need for an immediate end to hostilities, Christian Aid said. Recent polling by Savanta, commissioned by the UK charity found six in ten (59%) of Brits believe the new UK Government should call for a ceasefire in Gaza and of them, 60% believe it should happen immediately.

Reverend Claire Whitmore from Christians for Palestine, who joined Christian Aid in handing the letters in to 10 Downing Street, said: "These letters from Gazan children offer a glimpse of the horrendous situation there. I hope and pray that the Prime Minister will read and reflect on their words and take swift action to address the crisis."

Christian Aid's Head of Middle East Policy & Advocacy, William Bell, added: "Only an immediate ceasefire, the respect of international humanitarian law, humanitarian access and the release of hostages can stop the suffering across Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.

"The former Government has placed the UK at risk of complicity in serious violations of international law due to its failure to halt arms sales to Israel. The new UK Government must right this wrong and make that clear to Parliament, including denouncing the de facto annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank. Young Palestinians are counting on Kier Starmer's urgent intervention."

Basel Sourani, from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), Christian Aid's partner in Gaza, said: "It is imperative for the UK Government to reconsider its stance and take a firm stand against these atrocities. Mais's heartfelt plea underscores the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the rebuilding of Gaza. The UK must heed these calls and work towards providing the necessary psychological and educational support to help the children of Gaza rebuild their lives and futures."

The Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St George's College in Jerusalem, added: "The voices of these young Palestinians from Gaza must not be ignored. Their cry for an end to the horrific destruction is a plea for humanity to prevail over brutality. Only by ending the violence can a peaceful pathway to justice begin to emerge. There is no time to lose for the new UK Government."

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, and as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and over 85,000 more have been injured since the escalation of violence last October.

Christian Aid's local Palestinian partners are delivering vital aid including food and medical assistance to children, women and men across Gaza. This includes building mobile bathrooms in four shelters and working with local farmers to get fresh vegetables for families who have left their homes to escape airstrikes.

To donate to their emergency appeal, visit: www.christianaid.org.uk.