Rep. Sara Jacobs Urges Israel to Reconsider Evacuation Notice for 1 Million People in Gaza
Echoing calls from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations around the world, Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Founder and Chair of the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus, urges Israel to reconsider its evacuation notice of 1.1 million people from northern Gaza, including Palestinian civilians, aid workers, and all those sheltered in United Nations facilities.
Rep. Sara Jacobs, Founder and Chair of the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus, said, “I condemn Hamas’ inexcusable attack on Israeli civilians and firmly believe Israel has a right to defend itself. My family is still in Israel so I can only imagine the pain and anger the families of the hostages are feeling right now and understand the Israeli government’s urgency in holding Hamas responsible and getting the hostages back safely. I also share the concerns of the UN and humanitarian organizations on the ground who fear that evacuating northern Gaza will have devastating humanitarian consequences. Due to telecommunications and electricity outages, many civilians in Gaza cannot receive the evacuation notice, let alone evacuate quickly and safely. The short timeline of the evacuation notice does not provide the civilian population of over 1 million people enough time to evacuate, nor does it provide enough time for humanitarian organizations to ensure southern Gaza can receive an additional 1 million people. Furthermore, an evacuation notice alone does not absolve Israel of its obligations under international humanitarian law in current or future operations in Gaza. As Founder and Chair of the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus, I urge Israel to reconsider this decision in order to preserve civilian life. We are strongest when we are leading with our values, and that only becomes more important during difficult times. Preserving our moral authority and protecting innocent lives is the right thing to do, and is also important for the long-term safety and security of Israel.”
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