APKI: Abduction of activists by Israel worsens crisis in Palestine

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Alliance for Indonesian Development and Humanitarian Development Alliance (APKI/IDHA) said that the blocking of aid to Gaza civilians, Palestine, and the kidnapping of humanitarian activists by Israel worsens the humanitarian crisis and violates international humanitarian law. “Humanitarian workers, civilian volunteers, health workers, journalists, and human rights defenders must receive full protection under international humanitarian law. The blocking of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, Palestine is a measure that worsens the humanitarian crisis and contradicts the fundamental principles of universal humanitarianism,” said APKI representative M Yusuf Ali. He said in Jakarta on Friday that among the activists detained, nine are Indonesian nationals who have been working to increase capacity and humanitarian solidarity at national and international levels. According to Yusuf Ali, they have come to save lives of people who have lived for months under attack, hunger, destruction of civilian facilities, and restricted access to aid. He stated that humanitarian aid is a basic right of civilians affected by armed conflict and must not be used as a political or military pressure tool. “Detention of civilian humanitarian volunteers cannot be justified under any circumstances. Humanitarian activists are not a security threat,” he said. He explained that Indonesia, as one of the countries that spearheaded the