“This October 7 marks the sad anniversary of the crimes committed by Hamas and Palestinian groups against the Israeli civilian population. Atrocious and unjustifiable crimes for which we call for justice before international courts. We also continue to strongly call for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages held in Gaza.
This October 7 unfortunately also marks the start of the destructive offensive led by Israeli forces in Gaza: an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, a major risk of genocide, an extension of the conflict which raises fears of a regional conflagration. We continue to demand an immediate ceasefire. We continue to demand respect for international law and justice for all victims of this appallingly deadly conflict.”
Anne Savinel-Barras, President of Amnesty International France
It was October 7, 2023. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups were launching terrible attacks in southern Israel. Results: around 1,200 people killed, mainly civilians, and 250 hostages kidnapped.
October 7 is a day of mourning for Israelis whose loved ones have been killed or kidnapped, and for the thousands more who are still far from their homes following the vile attacks by Hamas and other groups. armed.
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International
Our work following the crimes committed on and after October 7 by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups:
– we have carried out thorough investigations into these crimes and continue to investigate;
– we launched an appeal demanding that Hamas and other armed groups be held accountable for deliberate killings, kidnappings and indiscriminate attacks, including rocket attacks on Israeli civilian populations;
– we continue to repeatedly call for the immediate release of all civilian hostages held captive in Gaza;.
The crimes committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups are atrocious and completely unjustifiable. Currently, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is investigating these crimes as war crimes and against humanity.
Free the hostages
A year later, around 100 hostages are still being held captive in Gaza. Some hostages are already dead. Their bodies must be returned to their families. Others risk death, torture or other ill-treatment.
For families, for a year, there remains the anxiety of waiting and the unbearable fear that the worst will happen.
Some of the hostages who returned home testified to the physical and psychological violence they suffered during their captivity in Gaza. And fears were further heightened in August, when Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six hostages and an Israeli forensic examination concluded that they had been shot shortly before being found.
Kidnapping and hostage-taking are war crimes. We continue to call for civilian hostages to be released immediately to reunite with their families.
A devastating offensive
October 7 also marks the start of a year of destructive offensive by Israeli forces in Gaza. To date, it has caused more than 41,500 deaths* and displaced 1.9 million people in the occupied Gaza Strip, or 90% of its population.
The humanitarian catastrophe unleashed is unprecedented.
And Palestinians in Gaza are exposed to the risk of genocide as indicated by the International Court of Justice.
* This figure underestimates the number of real victims because it does not take into account missing people, people still among the rubble and people who died due to starvation, unsafe water or lack of water. access to health care.
In Gaza, entire families have been decimated and many people have yet to find the remains of their loved ones, including children, in the rubble of their destroyed homes. Hundreds of families in Gaza continue to seek information about their loved ones held in Israeli prisons without charge or trial, many having been subjected to torture.
We investigated multiple war crimes attributable to Israeli forces:
– in particular direct attacks against civilians or indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks,
– as well as other illegal attacks and collective sanctions against the civilian population.
Human rights violations committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory began well before the October 7 attacks. Amnesty International has investigated and denounced Israel’s system of apartheid, as well as the illegal occupation, which was also the subject of Security Council resolutions.
The absolute emergency: a ceasefire
While the war rages, with a risk of extension and regional conflagration, with no end in sight, the need to establish a ceasefire and respect international law and the rights of all victims to truth, justice and reparations, is more urgent than ever.
« It is a shame and a collective failure of humanity that a year later we are still waiting for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. Such atrocities should never have been committed, let alone allowed to continue. »
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International
This date of October 7 is a strong reminder of the urgent need to address the root causes of the problem, to stop providing weapons to all parties and to put an end to the impunity that Israeli forces have enjoyed for decades , Hamas and other armed groups, who trample international law without fear of the slightest consequence.
The world must never forget the victims and the anguish of the affected families. Humanity must triumph.
Our request
An immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all civilian hostages held captive by Hamas and other armed groups, and of all Palestinians illegally detained by Israel.
To prevent a “risk of genocide”, a ceasefire is essential. For the release of the hostages, a ceasefire is essential. To allow access to humanitarian aid, a ceasefire is essential.
Sign our petition to demand the immediate establishment of a ceasefire by all parties to the conflict.
