IWDA calls for ceasefire in Gaza

IWDA calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. In doing so, we stand with Palestinian and Israeli feminists and peace activists calling for an urgent de-escalation of the conflict and the protection of civilians.

We emphasise the need for solutions that build pathways to durable peace and that the longstanding and illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories by the State of Israel are a fundamental impediment to that end.

We support the right to self-determination by the Palestinian people and stand with those who seek a future where the humanity of all people in the region is upheld with equal regard and the conditions for human flourishing equally experienced. Anything short of this will inevitably continue the cycles of violence and death.

We mourn the 1,400 innocent lives cut short in the Hamas attack of 7 October and the taking of over 200 hostages; we condemn these acts of terror and call for the immediate, safe release of all remaining hostages.

We condemn the Israeli Government’s use of this attack as an attempt to justify the siege —amounting to collective punishment on Gaza. We are outraged by the targeting of innocent Palestinians with more than 11,000 Palestinian killed to-date, including at least 4,500 children.

Feminist foreign policy emphasises the gendered nature of conflict, and the importance of human security as a fundamental pre-condition for peace. In this vein, we call for an immediate end to the blockade preventing fuel, food, water, medical supplies, and electricity from entering Gaza. We also call for the international community to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on all parties to the conflict. We know that fuelling the hostilities with growing numbers of arms will never be a basis of durable peace.

We join with feminist movements around the world to call on those governments who have committed to feminist foreign policies – and those, such as Australia, with a commitment to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda – to apply all their efforts to bringing about the end of this conflict. And we call for the inclusion of women peace builders in all negotiations.

We welcome the Australian Government’s commitment of humanitarian funds for Gaza and stress the need for those funds to be commensurate with the scale of need; core and flexible, and; to reach feminist and women’s rights organisations who are doing the work of responding to the crisis on the ground.

Feminist and women’s rights organisations understand the needs of their communities now and into the future. Investing in them is investing in peace.