We welcome the long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as well as the release and exchange of prisoners and hostages. This announcement comes after 15 months of unspeakable devastation in Gaza, where the Palestinian people have faced an escalation of genocidal violence. While the ceasefire provides a glimmer of hope for Palestinian victims of these actions, it is heartbreakingly overdue.
However, a ceasefire is only a step. Achieving durable and equitable peace demands addressing the root causes of violence and oppression. This means adhering to the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 advisory opinion by dismantling the foundational structures of colonial violence and ensuring Palestinians’ rights to self-determination, dignity, and freedom. It also requires an immediate end to all arms transfers and military support to Israel and other parties.
Impunity must no longer be tolerated. Without accountability and reparation for all crimes and violations, justice is reduced to an empty promise, and real peace remains out of reach. The voices and perspectives of Palestinians, especially women, must be front and center in an immediate process for peace and justice, ensuring that gendered harms and violations are addressed adequately and without delay. The international community must urgently deploy all the legal and political tools at its disposal to bring an end to this enduring injustice and ensure accountability for all crimes and violations, including by respecting and supporting the work of the International Criminal Court.