ON World Humanitarian Day, the Hamas movement called for ‘criminalising the occupation’s violations against humanitarian work, and stopping its escalating terrorism against the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.’
In a statement issued on Monday, the movement also called for urgent action to intensify humanitarian and relief work ‘in support of the Palestinian people and their steadfastness on their land’.
World Humanitarian Day, which the United Nations and the countries of the world celebrated on August 19, came amid the ‘continuation of the war of genocide, displacement, and ethnic cleansing against the Gaza Strip for the 318th day, during which more than 40,000 martyrs have been killed, most of them children and women, including 280 relief workers from UNRWA staff, about 93,000 wounded, thousands missing under the rubble, and thousands of others kidnapped and detained in the occupation’s prisons, against whom the most heinous crimes of brutal torture and revenge killing are practised,’ the statement reads.
On World Humanitarian Day, Hamas declared: ‘The international community’s celebration of this day places all of them, countries, governments, and organisations, before a political, legal, moral, and humanitarian responsibility to stand with the just cause of our people and their legitimate rights, who are being subjected to the most heinous crime of genocide in modern history, for over ten months, which will remain a stigma on all those who are negligent in stopping and ending it and prosecuting its perpetrators in international courts.’
Hamas also called on ‘all countries and governments to criminalise the racist and criminal practices and violations committed by the fascist occupation government against the humanitarian work teams supporting our Palestinian people, to pressure the occupation to stop its terrorism against them, and to provide protection to continue their role and humanitarian work.’
The statement concluded by calling ‘on all humanitarian organisations to assume their responsibilities in providing support to our Palestinian people in all places where they are located, especially in the Gaza Strip, and we stress the need to continue their humanitarian work in solidarity and support for the legitimate rights of our people to live in freedom and dignity on their occupied land until the rights, liberation, and return are realised.’
The workers of the world are showng their massive support for Palestine, and opposition to the US, Israeli and UK ruling classes.
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have marched in the US city of Chicago on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to call for an end to the government’s support for Israel in its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip.
The demonstration took place on Monday, hours before speeches began at the DNC where Democratic delegates publicly nominated US Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate.
The protesters carried Palestinian flags and signs reading, ‘Democrats fund the genocide of Palestinians,’ ‘Both Democrats & Republicans have blood on their hands,’ ‘No votes 4 Kamala until arms embargo 4 Israel,’ ‘Stand with Palestine! End US aid to Israel!’ and ‘Resistance is justified when people are occupied’.
Chanting slogans such as ‘Killer Kamala’, they called on the Democratic candidate to break with President Joe Biden’s position on the brutal Israeli war that has killed a shocking number of Palestinians in Gaza. They also demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as an arms embargo on the occupying regime.
‘Are we for mass murdering babies, or are we against it? To me, it’s a pretty simple equation,’ protester Rich Barnes told Al Jazeera TV network.
‘I’m worried because I feel like there’s not going to be any big, major change with her (Harris). We’re trying to put as much pressure on from the left to say: “Listen, you can’t expect our vote”.’
Meanwhile in the UK, the TUC has refused to take any mass strike action in support of the Palestinian revolution.
The WRP and the Young Socialists are lobbying the TUC Congress on Monday September 9th, starting at 8.00am. We urge thousands of workers and youth to join this lobby of the Congress to demand that the TUC calls an indefinite general strike to support the state of Palestine and that Labour must recognise the state of Palestine and arm it.
