Amman - October 15, 2023

The National Center for Human Rights (NCHR) vigilantly monitors the recent events in the State of Palestine, specifically the Gaza Strip, in light of the Israeli attacks on civilians that commenced on October 7, 2023.

As part of the NCHR's ongoing efforts on both regional and international fronts, aimed at crafting consistent human rights positions in the face of systemic violations of human rights against the Palestinian populace, with profound ramifications for the overarching concepts of comprehensive security, peace, and stability in the Middle East and the wider global context, the Board of Trustees of the NCHR convened an emergency meeting on the morning of Saturday, October 14, 2023. This meeting aimed to coordinate these endeavors within the framework of human rights mechanisms at regional and international levels.

Furthermore, the NCHR actively participated in the meeting of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions on October 11, 2023, with the objective of coordinating efforts and actions within established human rights mechanisms to contribute to ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the associated grave human rights infringements.

The NCHR has also resolved to establish an "operations room" to monitor developments within the territory of the State of Palestine and the Gaza Strip. Additionally, a specialized committee composed of members of the Board of Trustees will convene continuously for the purposes of monitoring and coordination.

It is worth noting that the NCHR has constituted a field monitoring team tasked with overseeing the expressions of solidarity occurring in various governorates within the Kingdom, as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression. This is a legitimate way to shed light on the systemic violations in the Gaza Strip, in addition to observing government measures taken in response to all forms of freedom of expression and peaceful gatherings that denounce the actions of the Israeli authorities as an occupying force.

The National Center for Human Rights affirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, in accordance with one of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter. Consequently, it urges the international community to take immediate and effective measures to enforce the provisions of international law that mandate the immediate cessation of brutal attacks on the Gaza Strip, characterized as war crimes and crimes against humanity, constituting violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

In order to uphold shared human values, universal human rights principles, and values, the Center implores the international community, as well as all media outlets and influencers, to maintain neutrality and objectivity in their analysis of the events unfolding in the Gaza Strip, and to present the facts grounded in their legal foundations. In this context, the NCHR commends the stance of certain countries that condemn and denounce the stringent blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the Gaza Strip and the attempts to displace the population.

As part of the NCHR's continued monitoring of the tragic and violent events in the Gaza Strip, the Center cautions against the long-term strategy of the occupying authorities involving the forced displacement and exile of Palestinians, aimed at depopulating the land and establishing settlements through a series of violent measures characterized by ethnic cleansing. These measures are considered core tenets of the policies of the occupying authorities under Israel's Jewish Nation-State Law. They involve the killing of civilians, genocidal acts, displacement, demolition of residences and property, collective punishment, etc., in addition to assaults on journalists and their right to protection, as established under the Third Geneva Convention and the First Additional Protocol appended to the Geneva Conventions of 1977. The direct and deliberate targeting of journalists is tantamount to obstructing the truth, constituting a war crime, and destroying private, immovable, and movable property. Additionally, the attacks occurring near the Jordanian field hospital in the Gaza Strip, the disruption of the supply of medical supplies, and the endangerment of its staff have led to the closure of the hospital and its inability to fulfill its humanitarian mission.

The NCHR commends the diplomatic endeavors led by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan to bring an end to the ongoing attacks and violations. The Center has closely followed the efforts of His Majesty the King in halting the perilous escalation and the war in Gaza, the policy of collective punishment, forced displacement, and the deportation of the crisis to neighboring nations. Furthermore, the Center acknowledges the leadership's efforts in facilitating urgent humanitarian passages for the delivery of medical and relief aid, as well as the subsequent concrete steps taken toward this end, including His Majesty's visits to several European capitals to garner international support for ending the aggression against Gaza and addressing its humanitarian consequences.

In conclusion, the NCHR calls for immediate intervention by the international community and its constituent parts to deter the occupying state and halt the atrocities committed against civilians in Gaza. It urges the implementation of measures to cease the unjustifiable attacks on the civilians in the Gaza Strip, in adherence to the tenets of international humanitarian law, notably the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which guarantees the protection of civilians in occupied territories. Furthermore, the NCHR emphasizes the need to facilitate humanitarian corridors for the delivery of medical and relief aid into the Gaza Strip and to provide electricity and water.