World YWCA and YWCA Palestine Joint Statement on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

On this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the World YWCA and the YWCA of Palestine join all who uphold the dignity, equality, and worth of every human being. Each year, November 29 is a reminder to the world that the violation[A1]  of Palestine remains unresolved, and that the pursuit of justice, peace, and freedom continues to call upon the conscience of humanity.

For decades, Palestinian men, women, and children have endured killings, extreme harassment, violence, mobility restrictions, displacement, loss, and dehumanisation. Yet even amid immense suffering, the people of Palestine continue to embody “Sumoud” – resilience, faith, and an unwavering hope to live in dignity and peace. Their struggle is not only a national cause; it is a profoundly human story that reflects a shared yearning for justice and the restoration of human rights.

Today, this call for solidarity comes at a time of unimaginable suffering. Despite repeated announcements of ceasefire efforts, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The killing and destruction have not stopped, and the people of Gaza continue to face one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in modern history. An unimaginable number of entire families have been wiped out, and homes, schools, infrastructure, and hospitals reduced to rubble.

Women and girls are bearing the disproportionate weight of this violence. Beyond the bombardment, we are witnessing the weaponization of gender-based violence as a calculated strategy of war. We are witnessing a total collapse of safety and dignity: mothers are giving birth in rubble without medical care, bearing witness as a generation of children has their lives violently cut short. Reports have documented the systematic destruction of reproductive healthcare facilities and the targeting of maternity wards, acts intended to prevent births and destroy the reproductive future of a people. Furthermore, the use of forced public stripping, sexual harassment, and threats against Palestinian women reveals a deliberate campaign to inflict trauma and crush dignity.

At the same time, Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face escalating violence and daily violations: home demolitions, land confiscations, random arrests, movement restrictions, and attacks by settlers under military protection. These systemic acts of oppression are erasing communities and deepening despair. What we are witnessing is a continued genocide under occupation; an assault on human life and dignity that is being lived as the new “normal”. The world must no longer tolerate it.

The repeated failure to secure a permanent ceasefire or hold perpetrators accountable exposes a painful truth: performative expressions of concern and temporary pauses in violence cannot save lives or restore justice. The silence and inaction of the international community only deepen the wound of impunity.

While humanitarian assistance remains vital, it cannot by itself heal the profound injuries of injustice or restore the dignity denied to an entire people. True solidarity must rise beyond aid and sympathy; it must be grounded in moral courage and faith in the sanctity of every human life. As people of conscience, we are called to speak truth to power, to demand accountability, and to act with conviction so that justice is not delayed and peace is not denied.

We are guided by the message of the Kairos Palestine document, a word of faith, hope, and love from the heart of suffering. It calls on all of us, especially those in positions of moral and political authority, to stand firm in compassion, to reject injustice and oppression, and to affirm that every person, regardless of nationality or faith, is created in the image of God and worthy of freedom and peace.

From this place of faith and shared humanity, we appeal to the United Nations and all Member States:

1. To renew and strengthen efforts to end the ongoing suffering in Palestine, ensuring protection for all Palestinians, and guaranteeing unrestricted humanitarian access.
2. To uphold international law and all relevant UN resolutions affirming the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and return to their homes and lands.
3. To safeguard and sustain the essential work of humanitarian agencies serving Palestinian refugees and communities.
4. To demand accountability for the gendered violence documented in this crisis, including forced stripping, sexual assault, and the deliberate destruction of the healthcare systems women rely on to give birth and survive.
5. To advance meaningful diplomatic and political measures that can end the occupation and open a path toward a just and lasting peace, including an immediate arms embargo and economic sanctions.
6. To ensure the implementation of International Court of Justice decisions, holding perpetrators of war crimes and genocide accountable, and ensuring that no state or leader, whether acting directly or indirectly, escapes responsibility.

Today, before the international community, we also lift our prayers: for the children longing for safety; for the mothers and fathers dreaming of rebuilding their homes; for the young people who still believe in justice; and for the leaders who have the power to choose peace.

We call upon the United Nations to translate its founding values of justice, human rights, and the dignity of every person into concrete action that restores hope and faith in the promise of international solidarity.

As one of the world’s oldest and largest women’s movements, the World YWCA and the YWCA of Palestine reaffirm our unwavering commitment to peace built on justice, equality, dignity, and love. We believe that faith without action is empty, and that hope, when nurtured with courage, can transform even the darkest night into the dawn of a new day.

This Day of Solidarity, we renew our collective determination to see the Palestinian people live in freedom, dignity, safety, and peace, where justice and compassion are our future.

*A shorter version of this statement was read at the UN in Geneva on Friday, 28 November, on behalf of World YWCA – YWCA Palestine.