Workers’ Party urges immediate ceasefire and humanitarian action in Gaza, echoing concerns of Singaporeans

The Workers’ Party of Singapore has issued a statement expressing deep concern over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the urgent pleas of Singaporeans who have reached out to their Members of Parliament. These citizens demand an immediate cessation of hostilities and the swift initiation of humanitarian aid deliveries to alleviate the escalating crisis for the ordinary Palestinians in Gaza.

The party emphasizes its stance against the stark disproportionality of previous military responses and fears the recurrence of such overwhelming force, potentially leading to further loss of innocent lives and contravention of international law.

Below is the Workers’ Party statement in full.

The Workers’ Party (WP) Members of Parliament have received many emails and representations from Singaporeans calling for an immediate end to hostilities and the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Previous military action in the Gaza Strip undertaken by the Israel Defence Forces in response to militant operations including by Hamas have been marked by overwhelming disproportionality. We fear this reality will repeat itself in the coming days, weeks and months.

The flagrant disregard of the Geneva Convention, the United Nations (UN) Charter and other international legal instruments; including the occupation of land taken in war by any sovereign nation – is not in Singapore’s national interests.

The killing of non-combatants, women and children by any country or organisation, in the name of war, deserves no less than absolute condemnation.

The WP supports Singapore’s long-held position that a two-state solution consistent with UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions is the only viable path to a durable, just and comprehensive resolution to the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

In particular, UNSC Resolution 242 which is supported by Singapore, calls for the withdrawal of Israel from Palestinian territories occupied since the 1967 war in exchange for a lasting peace with its neighbours.

Worryingly, the continuing conflict in Israel and Palestine is likely to increase attacks against Jews and Muslims elsewhere, raising the prospect of radicalisation far beyond the Middle-East, making the world more unsafe and dangerous for all countries, particularly where multi-racial and multi-cultural communities live in peace and harmony. All Singaporeans should be aware and mindful of this possibility, and play an active part to prevent it from happening on our shores.

We call on Israel to reject the collective punishment of innocent civilians, cease all military operations in the Gaza Strip and to allow for the transit of humanitarian aid into Gaza forthwith.

At the same time, we call for the immediate return of all Israeli hostages captured in Hamas’ military operation in Southern Israel on 7 Oct 2023. De-escalation by all parties must be followed by a withdrawal of Israel from the occupied territories, followed by serious negotiations to achieve a lasting peace in the Holy Land; a peace that legitimises the existence of the state of Israel, and establishes a viable Palestinian state.