Geneva, 18 January 2025 – Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza after 15 months of conflict characterized by catastrophic civilian harm, including the killing of at least 46,000 Palestinians and approximately 1,200 Israelis. We also welcome the announced plan for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.
“This ceasefire agreement is overdue,” said Hichem Khadhraoui, CIVIC’s Executive Director. “For over a year, Palestinian civilians have endured unimaginable suffering under Israel’s relentless bombing campaign, while Israeli hostages in Gaza have lived through the daily trauma of captivity. The international community’s failure to act sooner – primarily by countries with influence over parties to the conflict – has cost tens of thousands of civilian lives and allowed the conflict to spill over across the region.”
As the initial phases of the agreement are implemented, CIVIC urgently calls for immediate, safe, and unhindered access to humanitarian aid. For months, severe and arbitrary restrictions on humanitarian aid delivery have prevented life-saving assistance from reaching Gaza, including medical supplies, food, and clean water. With Gaza’s healthcare system decimated, preventable diseases are rampant, and most Palestinians lack access to food or clean water. Removing these barriers to aid delivery is a matter of life and death for millions of civilians in need.
“The international community must seize this moment,” said Khadhraoui. “This is an opportunity to secure a permanent end to the violence, scale up humanitarian aid, and uphold international legal obligations. Swift implementation of the agreement is critical to addressing the immense harm caused by this conflict and preventing further suffering.”
CIVIC also reiterates its call on all States to halt the transfer of arms to parties involved, given the devastating civilian harm and violations of international law, and to use their leverage to ensure that all parties abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement and international law.
Finally, the international community must prioritize accountability and inclusive rebuilding efforts to address the staggering harm of the last 15 months. Accountability must center on the needs and preferences of affected civilians, advance justice for those harmed, and deter further violations. In particular, extensive evidence of violations of international law by all parties to the conflict warrants independent investigation.
For additional information or media inquiries, please contact:
Hajer Naili, Director of Communications, [email protected], +33 6 03 50 53 93 / +1 917 889 5982 (WhatsApp)
CIVIC Communications: [email protected]
Spokespersons available for interviews in English, French, and Arabic.
ABOUT CIVIC
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian protection organization that envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict. Learn more at www.civiliansinconflict.org and follow CIVIC on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
