Joint NGO report on Gaza -- propaganda and false claims
On March 6, 2008, Amnesty International, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) CARE, Christian Aid, Medecins du Monde, Oxfam, Save the Children Alliance and Trocaire issued a joint statement – entitled, "The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion".
The report repeats standard NGO condemnations of Israeli policy on Gaza (such as B’Tselem’s summer 2007 booklet, entitled "The Gaza Strip – One Big Prison") and distorts international law. Charges include statements that Israeli policy both "constitutes a collective punishment against ordinary men, women and children" and is "illegal under international humanitarian law". The NGOs also propagate the legal fallacy that Israel is still responsible for Gaza, and "bound by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to ensure the welfare of the Palestinian population." This claim ignores Israel’s total military and civilian withdrawal from Gaza in August 2005, the use of this territory to wage war against Israel, and the complexities of international and humanitarian law.
NGO Monitor’s press releases: "NGO Rhetoric on Gaza Conflict Undermines Human Rights" and "NGOs Use False Claims on Humanitarian Conditions in Gaza," highlighted numerous factual errors in the report. A March 14, Jewish Chronicle article, "Aid groups admit Gaza report gaffe" also revealed mistakes. NGO Monitor’s response was cited in reports by AP news wire, CNN web site, CBS news web site, USA Today newspaper, Jerusalem Post and Ha’aretz.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs also responded to the NGO statement, highlighting Hamas’ diversion of fuel supplies, its exploitation of crossings for terrorist attacks and the continued transfer of fuel and medicines from Israel to Gaza.