Greens urge governments across the world to work towards ceasefire in Gaza
Governments across the world must “actively work for an urgent and lasting ceasefire” in Gaza, Holyrood minister Lorna Slater has insisted.
Ms Slater, the Scottish Green Party co-leader, praised the “strength and empathy” of First Minister Humza Yousaf, who has called for a ceasefire in the region.
The First Minister’s plea comes as his own parents-in-law are trapped in the region, having travelled there to visit family before violence erupted.
Ms Slater, spoke out as the Sottish Green Party conference in Dunfermline passed an emergency motion branding the situation in Gaza as a “developing genocide”.
The Scottish Green co-leader told how the past three weeks had seen “unimaginable horror”, describing the initial attack by Hamas an “abhorrent act of terror and cruelty”.
She said since then the “darkness has only deepened” with a “brutal bombing campaign on Gaza” resulting in civilians being killed and people there being “starved of food, water, and electricity”.
She insisted: “The killing must stop. The bombing must stop. The war crimes must stop. The occupation must end.”
Ms Slater continued: “It’s not enough to call for restraint.
“All governments must actively work for an urgent and lasting ceasefire and an end to the siege.”
She paid tribute to Mr Yousaf, saying: “Despite the awful situation facing his family in Gaza, he has demonstrated real strength and empathy at a time when far too many leaders have done the opposite.”
The emergency motion passed by Greens backed calls from the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to “deliver sufficient levels of urgent humanitarian assistance to those trapped in the territory”.
Green external affairs spokesman Ross Greer said: “What we have seen in Gaza, across Palestine and in Israel is horrific.
“All acts of terror and war crimes must be condemned.
“Hamas murdering civilians, including children in their own homes was an appalling act of violence.
“They must release the hostages they have taken immediately and without preconditions.
“And the world must take action to prevent Israel inflicting further atrocities on the people of Gaza.
“Their relentless and indiscriminate bombing campaign against two million people is a crime they are brazenly committing in full view of the world’s media and billions of people across social media.”