Dear [Elected Official’s Name],
I am writing to you with deep urgency regarding the catastrophic situation in Gaza. Currently, 86% of Gaza is under evacuation orders, with Israeli forces continuing to bomb the remaining 14%. Palestinians are fleeing from the Bureij and Nuseirat refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip, seeking refuge in overcrowded and under-resourced areas like Deir el-Balah. Nowhere in Gaza is safe, as designated humanitarian zones continue to be targeted with airstrikes, along with evacuation routes. There is an immediate need for decisive action to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians.
Most of the displaced population is now concentrated in Deir el-Balah, a city already overwhelmed by families from Khan Younis, following last week’s evacuation orders. The influx of people exacerbates an already dire humanitarian catastrophe. We urgently need international intervention to enforce a ceasefire and guarantee the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
As millions of Palestinians attempt to find safety within the mere 14% of Gaza designated as ‘safe zones’, Israeli forces continue to target civilians by bombing homes, residential areas, schools, and even tent camps in those areas. In the past 24 hours, at least 39 people have been killed and 93 injured, including three children decapitated by bombs. These atrocities underscore the immediate need for a ceasefire and international sanctions to halt these inhumane attacks.
On Monday, 22nd July, the evacuation of the eastern part of Khan Younis was ordered. Less than an hour later, artillery and air strikes were launched on the area, killing at least 70 people. This cruel practice of forced displacement and immediate bombardment is an internationally recognised war crime and crime against humanity. It is imperative that we call for sanctions, an arms embargo, and an economic blockade against Israel to stop these atrocities. Words have not been effective in preventing these attacks over the past 10 months.
The situation on the ground is beyond dire. The Israeli air force has hit around 35 targets in Gaza in the past 24 hours, causing numerous deaths in Rafah and Khan Younis. Attacks on Khan Younis have targeted residential buildings and refugee tent camps, while Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood faces complete collapse. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis is overwhelmed, with many bodies too disfigured to identify. In Rafah, the destruction of the main water tank is a blatant war crime, using food and water as weapons of war. Immediate action is required to rebuild essential infrastructure and provide humanitarian relief.
Israel has been using forced displacement as a weapon to weaken the population, an act of collective punishment of civilians. These crimes against humanity have become all too normalised in the Gaza Strip for decades. Israel must be held accountable. It is time to take decisive action: enforce a ceasefire, impose sanctions, and ensure that those responsible face repercussions at the International Court.
The time for action is now.
Your constituent,
[Name]
[Address]