Handicap International welcomes the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip

In 2 years, more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed and close to 170,000 wounded, leaving thousands with life-long injuries and disabilities. The people in Gaza, including our colleagues, need time to rest and heal after surviving months of hell, marked with grief, repeated forced displacement, starvation, and lack of basic necessities. Our team continued to help the most vulnerable, primarily persons with disabilities, living through what the UN Commission of Inquiry has now concluded is a genocide.

Following widespread destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, we still have a long way to clear rubble contaminated with remnants of war and reconstruction, which must involve local partners, UN agencies and international organizations.

We need to ensure that the ceasefire agreement is respected by all parties, all hostages are unconditionally released, the entry of humanitarian aid is allowed, and all humanitarian organisations are able to conduct their operations to respond to the immense needs. This must be a moment to bring a permanent end to the incessant suffering and violence endured by civilians, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and by all civilians affected by this conflict for the past two years.?