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Gaza 14 June 2012: Fifty international charities and United Nations Agencies have unanimously called for the lifting of the blockade of Gaza. The organizations have published a simple three line statement to mark the fifth anniversary of the tightening of the blockade of the Strip.

It reads:

For over five years in Gaza, more than 1.6 million people have been under blockade in violation of international law. More than half of these people are children. We the undersigned say with one voice: “end the blockade now.”

The government of Israel is facing mounting international criticism for the Gaza blockade and this unanimous statement from some of the most world’s most respected international organizations is likely to increase pressure for the blockade to be lifted.

The international aid and development signatories include:

1. Action Contre la Faim (ACH)

2. Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (Acted)

3. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)

4. Amnesty International

5. Broederlijk Delen

6. CARE International

7. CCFD-Terre Solidaire

8. Christian Aid

9. Christian Peacemaker Team

10. Cordaid

11. Danchurchaid

12. Diakonia

13. A Different Jewish Voice (Een Ander Joods Geluid)

14. Emergency Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (EWASH)

15. Gruppo di Volontariato Civile (GVC)

16. Handicap International

17. Help Age International

18. International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)

19. IKV Pax Christi

20. International Learning Center

21. Life for Relief and Development

22. Medicos del Mundo - España (MDM Spain)

23. Médecins du Monde France (MdM France)

24. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

25. Medico International 26. Movement for Peace (MPDL)

26. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

27. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)

28. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

29. Oxfam

30. Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden

31. Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH)

32. Première Urgence - Aide Médicale Internationale

33. Save the Children

34. Secours Islamique France

35. Swedish Organization for Individual Relief

36. Terre des Hommes Italy (TdH Italy)

37. Terre des Hommes Lausanne (TdH Suisse)

38. Terre des Homme

39. Trócaire

40. The Carter Center

41. United Nations Association International Service (UNAIS)

42. War Child The United Nations signatories include:

43. Humanitarian Coordination/Resident Coordinator, occupied Palestinian territory

44. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

45. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

46. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

47. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

48. United Nations Women

49. World Health Organization (WHO)

For media enquiries, please contact Willow Heske at willow.heske@oxfamnovib.nl or +972 (0) 597133646

Relevant Links:

• Press Release for Inter-agency Statement

• Gaza Blockade Case Studies By AIDA

• Gaza Blockade Fact Sheets By AIDA