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Press Release
Lebanon: Evidence of Israel’s unlawful use of white phosphorus in southern Lebanon as cross-border hostilities escalate
The Israeli army fired artillery shells containing white phosphorus, an incendiary weapon, in military operations along Lebanon’s southern border between 10 and 16 October 2023, Amnesty International said today. One attack on the town of Dhayra on 16 October must be investigated as a war crime because it was an indiscriminate attack that injured at least nine civilians and damaged civilian objects, and was therefore unlawful, said the organization. Cross-border hostilities in southern Lebanon have escalated significantly since 7 October. Israeli shelling in Lebanon has killed at least four civilians and 48 Hezbollah members so far. Hezbollah and other armed…
October 31, 2023
Press Release
ISRAEL/OPT: Amnesty International reaction to Gaza communications black-out and US vote against the UN General Assembly resolution on humanitarian truce in the OPT and Israel
Civilians in Gaza are at unprecedented risk as Israel imposes communication black-out during bombardment and expanding ground attacks, according to Amnesty International. In response to the black-out, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International, said: “Palestinian civilians are already besieged in the occupied Gaza Strip and are now also trapped in a complete communications blackout, with data from internet monitoring networks reporting signals rapidly failing as air and ground strikes reportedly intensify, in particular in the northern and central part of the Strip. We call on Israel to put an immediate end to indiscriminate and…
October 27, 2023
Press Release
AIUSA’s Response to Last Nights Mass Shooting in Lewiston, Maine
Responding to last night’s mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, Ernest Coverson, Amnesty International USA’s Director of Gun Violence Prevention, had this to say: “Once again, someone used an AR-15 to cause death, destruction, and grief. This assault rifle is the weapon of choice of mass shooters. Buffalo. Uvalde. And now Lewiston. “Already 35,270 deaths in 2023. Uncaring. Indifferent. Reckless. Cowardly. Irresponsible. My wish is for every American to call their Congressional representative today and use these words to describe our government's inaction on dealing with gun violence. “Those who honestly want to make a change would see the numbers—billions of…
October 26, 2023
Press Release
Israel/OPT: Urgent call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties to end unprecedented civilian suffering
Amnesty International is issuing an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties in the occupied Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent further loss of civilian lives and to ensure access to life-saving aid for people in Gaza amidst an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. “Over the past two and a half weeks we have witnessed horror unfolding on an unimaginable scale in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. More than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip are struggling to survive amidst a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and the level of civilian casualties has been unprecedented. Over 6546 people have been…
October 26, 2023
Press Release
Israel/OPT: Israeli Army Threats Ordering Residents of Northern Gaza to Leave May Amount to War Crimes
On October 21, 2023, the Israeli army dropped leaflets on northern Gaza, ordering residents' immediate “evacuation”. The leaflets warned residents to leave immediately, declaring their lives at risk and explicitly stating that “anyone who chooses not to leave from the north of the [Gaza] Strip to south of Wadi Gaza may be determined an accomplice in a terrorist organization”. The move came one week after the Israeli army had issued an ultimatum warning the 1.1 million residents in those areas to leave southwards. Responding to the latest developments, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser, Donatella Rovera said: “Declaring a whole…
October 25, 2023
Press Release
Deportation Flights of Venezuelan Nationals Violate International Refugee Law
The US government must immediately stop disregarding international refugee law and human rights law and end all deportation flights and forced returns to Venezuela, Amnesty International said today in response to the unlawful return of Venezuelan nationals from the United States to Venezuela. “Over 25% of the population of Venezuela – more than 7.71 million people – have fled massive human rights violations and possible crimes against humanity. That’s one in every four people in the country while numbers continue to rise. Since May 2022, there has been a 1.4 million increase. Amnesty International calls for a ban on all…
October 20, 2023
Press Release
Damning evidence of war crimes as Israeli attacks wipe out entire families in Gaza
As Israeli forces continue to intensify their cataclysmic assault on the occupied Gaza Strip, Amnesty International has documented unlawful Israeli attacks, including indiscriminate attacks, which caused mass civilian casualties and must be investigated as war crimes. The organization spoke to survivors and eyewitnesses, analysed satellite imagery, and verified photos and videos to investigate air bombardments carried out by Israeli forces between 7 and 12 October, which caused horrific destruction, and in some cases wiped out entire families. Here the organization presents an in-depth analysis of its findings in five of these unlawful attacks. In each of these cases, Israeli attacks…
October 20, 2023
Press Release
In response to President Biden’s foreign policy speech tonight, Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, issued the following quote:
"20 trucks of aid for over 2 million people in peril is not enough to protect Palestinian civilians facing extreme risk. The violence and the blockade need to end. “President Biden said he spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about upholding international law. He talked about the importance of getting food, water, and medicine into Gaza. He said that Palestinians and Israelis deserve to live in dignity and peace. Yet, he has simultaneously committed further military funding to the Israeli government which will only escalate the violence and cause more civilian deaths. Right now, millions of Palestinians are at extreme risk…
October 19, 2023
Press Release
Biden Disappoints in Visit to Israel, Fails to De-escalate Violence and Protect Human Rights
In response to President Biden’s trip to Israel and his comments this morning, Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, issued the following statement: “President Biden had an opportunity to prevent the further loss of life in the face of grave human suffering and make clear that the US will hold all parties, including its allies, to account for any violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. “Given the unique influence of the U.S. in this moment, the President should have worked to de-escalate the violence and protect all civilians following the loss of life of thousands, and…
October 18, 2023
Press Release
On President Biden’s Urgent Trip to Israel, Amnesty International USA Executive Director, Paul O’Brien, Calls to De-escalate Violence, Protect Human Rights
“The U.S. government has a moral obligation and a responsibility in this conflict to urgently ensure the protection of all civilians and prevent further suffering, in addition to the important stated goal of making sure humanitarian assistance flows into Gaza. President Biden must use this opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to save thousands of lives. “So far, President Biden and his top officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have shared their grief and outrage over the horrific mass killing of Israeli civilians, hostage taking and other serious violations committed during the October 7 attacks, but they…
October 17, 2023
Press Release
US urged to boost support for human rights defenders globally on key anniversary
Human rights defenders (HRDs), government dignitaries, an independent United Nations expert, and human rights organizations today urged the US government and the international community to continue to stand with and increase support and protection for human rights defenders worldwide. Several leading human rights organizations also hosted a delegation of HRDs from Colombia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Ukraine in Washington, D.C., for an event on Capitol Hill to mark the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998. “The US played a key role ahead of the adoption of the UN Declaration, which…
October 17, 2023
Press Release
Israel/OPT: Appalling Gaza “Evacuation Order” Must Be Rescinded By Israel Immediately
The Israeli army’s order to people in northern Gaza and Gaza City to “evacuate” to the south of the Gaza Strip, cannot be considered an effective warning and may amount to forced displacement of the civilian population, a violation of international humanitarian law, said Amnesty International. The initial announcement gave people 24 hours to leave northern Gaza “for their safety and protection” - an impossible demand that even the Israeli army spokesperson has admitted cannot be implemented in one day. Regardless of timeframe, Israel cannot treat northern Gaza as an open-fire zone based on having issued this order. Their forces…
October 13, 2023