As diplomatic efforts to broker a truce in Gaza continue, the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA) has demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire, condemning the ongoing violence and the dire humanitarian situation. In a statement released on Friday, the human rights organisation criticised the current negotiations as a “scandalous” cover for what it describes as an “ongoing genocide.”
The PSA’s call comes as international mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, facilitate indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas delegations in Doha. These negotiations centre on a US-proposed 60-day truce, during which a permanent end to the conflict would be discussed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated Israel is prepared to negotiate a permanent end to the war during this period, but only on the “fundamental conditions” that Hamas disarms and relinquishes all governing and military capabilities.
The PSA asserts that “it was Israel and the USA that reneged on the last ceasefire and prolonged the genocide.” The organisation insists that any agreement must include the “immediate and full withdrawal of the IDF in Gaza and West Bank to the 1967 borders” and the establishment of a UN peacekeeping force.
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Humanitarian Crisis and Aid Distribution
A central point of contention in both the official negotiations and the PSA’s demands is the delivery of humanitarian aid. The PSA has vehemently criticised the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), labelling it a “genocidal smokescreen” and alleging its collusion with the Israeli military has led to the deaths of over 770 Palestinians attempting to collect aid as of 9 July. The organisation demands the immediate disbanding of the GHF and the unconditional restoration of aid distribution through UNRWA and other independent agencies.
This demand for unrestricted aid access is echoed in the negotiations. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty emphasised the “need to stop the bloodshed of the Palestinian people” and ensure aid reaches Gaza to alleviate the “catastrophic humanitarian conditions.”
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the situation remains critical, with recent fuel deliveries being insufficient to meet even one day’s requirements for essential services like hospitals and water systems.
The genocide has resulted in a devastating human toll, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting over 57 000 Palestinian fatalities. The PSA highlights the severe impact on children, citing figures that over 323 Palestinian children are currently detained in Israeli prisons, the highest number since 2017.
While international actors like Germany express cautious optimism about a deal, the PSA maintains that a temporary pause is insufficient. The organisation is calling for a permanent ceasefire that addresses the root causes of the conflict, including the release of Palestinian political prisoners and accountability for alleged war crimes. It has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to expedite trials for Israeli leadership, whom the court has accused of war crimes, including using starvation as a method of warfare.
Analysts suggest that significant obstacles remain for a lasting peace, including political pressures within Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, which largely opposes ending the war. As negotiations proceed, the international community watches closely, but for organisations like the PSA, only a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, coupled with justice and the reconstruction of Gaza, will suffice.
Image credit: Al Jazeera
