We the members of the Thames Valley East Massajid Council (TVMC)- a collective of Mosques and Islamic Centers across the Thames Valley East region, write to express profound public distress at the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. We urge you to respond with principled leadership and decisive action in the Parliament.
A Man-Made Catastrophe Unfolding in Real Time
Leading international media, including BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, and Reuters, continue to report harrowing scenes of destruction and mass civilian death in Gaza. Just this week:
- Reuters (20 July 2025) confirmed that at least 79 Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces while attempting to collect food aid — part of more than 875 killed in recent months while seeking basic supplies such as flour and water.
- The World Health Organization (23 July 2025) declared that Gaza is now facing “man-made mass starvation”, with over 111 people (including 21 children) confirmed to have died from hunger and dehydration. The WHO Director-General described the situation as entirely preventable and a result of deliberate obstruction of aid.
- Israeli military operations have intensified across Gaza, including tank incursions into Deir al-Balah (21 July 2025), further reducing the population’s access to food, medicine, and shelter.
- Over 100 aid and human rights organisations have issued joint calls for a permanent ceasefire and immediate opening of humanitarian corridors, warning that nearly 60,000 Palestinians have now been killed since October 2023, most of them women and children.
Genocide: A Growing Legal Consensus
A growing number of the world’s most respected genocide experts are sounding the alarm:
- Dr Melanie O’Brien, President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, has stated that the actions taken in Gaza, including systematic starvation, siege tactics and infrastructure destruction meet the legal threshold of genocide under the Genocide Convention.
- Prof Omer Bartov, a leading Holocaust and genocide historian (Brown University) writes: “This is precisely what Israel is trying to do; the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, is now undeniable.”
- Prof Amos Goldberg of the Hebrew University has warned that Gaza has been rendered “uninhabitable” through targeted, deliberate actions aimed at the collapse of civilian life.
This is not a failure of logistics or coordination. It is the product of deliberate policy choices, ones that may well constitute crimes under international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and Articles 6 and 8 of the Rome Statute. As your constituents, We call on you to:
- Demand Immediate Humanitarian Access – The UK must call for the unconditional opening of all land crossings into Gaza and full restoration of UNRWA operations. Aid must be allowed to flow without restriction including food, water, fuel, and medical supplies.
- Call for a Permanent Ceasefire – A ceasefire is not a political slogan; it is the only path to halting the mass killing of civilians. We urge you to publicly and unequivocally press the British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire.
- Suspend UK Arms Exports to Israel – There is well-documented and credible public evidence that UK-manufactured components may be contributing to weapons used in violations of international law. Continuing these sales risks the allegations against the UK becoming complicit in human rights violations and war crimes. We ask you to demand from the UK Government for an immediate suspension of all arms exports to Israel.
- Uphold International Legal Accountability – It is imperative upon the UK government to respect the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and offer full cooperation with investigations to the UN, ICC and other agencies. We urge you to back this call from the British public and various international human rights bodies.
- Be transparent with your constituents- We respectfully ask:
– Have you written to the Prime Minister or Foreign Secretary regarding deepening Gaza crisis?
– Have you voted in favour of ceasefire or arms embargo motions in Parliament?
– What concrete actions are you taking to represent our community’s concerns in Parliament?
A Moral and Legal Responsibility
The people of Gaza are not statistics, nor are they all Hamas affiliates, as the Israeli government would like the world to believe. There are hundreds of thousands of babies, toddlers, mothers, fathers, grandparents, students, doctors, and teachers and they are dying not just from bombs but from strategic starvation. These deaths are preventable. The continued blockade and deliberate denial of aid are not merely immoral but unlawful under the international laws to which the UK is a signatory.
We ask you to respond with moral clarity and political courage. As your constituents and faith leaders representing thousands of voices across the Thames Valley, we are united in our call for the preservation of human life, immediate end to this violence, and accountability for those responsible.
We are ready to support any efforts you make to uphold justice, human dignity, and global public will.
