Dear Trade Secretary and Foreign Secretary,

Together we are urging you to immediately halt arms licences and exports to the Government of Israel. This is just one crucial step towards helping to secure a permanent and immediate ceasefire for all Palestinians and Israelis.

Nowhere in Gaza is safe. The military offensive in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of people and forced 1.9 million people from their homes. Schools, hospitals, aid facilities, bakeries and water infrastructure have all been impacted and many have been destroyed. It is against international law to intentionally or recklessly attack civilians and civilian infrastructure – and British arms sold to Israel are potentially being used to commit such serious violations of international law. By refusing to stop selling these arms, the UK is complicit in the slaughter of civilians taking place daily in Gaza.

Bomber aircraft containing parts made in the UK are being used to reduce parts of Gaza to rubble, striking fear into the hearts of people in Gaza, and destroying countless lives. The Government of Israel has killed tens of thousands of people, and forced displacement, starvation and deprivation upon more than 2 million people. The UK Government, along with the international community, must take all measures within their power to prevent the risk of genocide in Gaza.

Everyone in Gaza is in need of humanitarian assistance but the ferocity of this conflict has made it impossible for humanitarian organisations to do their work. An immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire is vital to stop the death and destruction. Ending arms sales is a crucial step towards this. A ceasefire is the only meaningful way to deliver aid, and the safest way to get hostages out. Then the hard work of building lasting peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis can start

We ask you to:

• Immediately suspend arms licences and exports to the Government of Israel.
• Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Signed,

Adrian Ramsay, Green Party of England and Wales Co-Leader

Aisling Bea, Actor, writer and comedian

Aleema Shivji, Interim Chief Executive, Oxfam GB

Andrew Whitley, Chair, Balfour Project

Anna Stavrianakis, Director of Research and Strategy, Shadow World Investigations

Annie Lennox, Singer-songwriter and activist

Anthony Slaughter, Leader, Wales Green Party

Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director, Greenpeace

Asad Rehman, Executive Director, War on Want

Ben Webster, CEO, Mosaik

Brian Cox, Actor

Carla Denyer, Green Party of England and Wales Co-Leader

Caroline Qutteneh, Director, Welfare Association

Charlotte Marshall, Director, Sabeel-Kairos UK

Chris Doyle, Director, Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)

Chris Rose, Director, Amost Trust

Christine Allen, CEO, CAFOD

Clare Short, Former Secretary of State for International Development

Daniel Lismore, Artist

Darren Cormack, CEO MAG International

Dr. Iain Overton, Executive Director, Action on Armed Violence

Dr. Kate Ferguson, Co-Executive Director, Protection Approaches

Dylan Mathews, Chief Executive, Peace Direct

Enyseh Teimory, Head of Policy, United Nations Association - UK (UNA-UK)

Eva Tabbasam, Director, Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS)

Frances Guy, CEO, Scotland International Development Alliance

Frankie Boyle, Comedian

Gemma Sherrington, Interim CEO, Save the Children UK

Gideon Rabinowitz, Director of Policy & Advocacy, Bond

Helen McEachern, CEO, Care International UK

Hannah Bond, Co-CEO of ActionAid UK

Helen Close, Research Associate, Omega Research Foundation

Jill Kent, Chairperson, Justice and Peace Scotland

Katie Fallon, Advocacy Manager, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT)

Khalid Abdalla, Actor

Lorna Slater MSP, Scottish Green Party Co-Leader

Lorraine Currie, CEO, SCIAF

Marian Pallister, Chair, Pax Christi Scotland

Melanie Ward, CEO, Medical Aid for Palestinians

Mikaela Loach, Author & climate justice activist

Mirza Waheed, Novelist

Most Rev. William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow

Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now

Nish Kumar, Comedian & Presenter

Osai Ojigho, Director of Policy, Christian Aid

Paloma Faith, Singer-songwriter

Patrick Harvie MSP, Scottish Green Party Co-Leader

Paul Murphy, Executive Director, Saferworld

Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru Leader

Rob Williams, CEO, War Child Alliance

Robert Lindsay, Actor

Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan International UK

Sacha Deshmukh, CEO, Amnesty International UK

Sarel Madziya, Actor & Presenter

Tareq Shrourou, Director, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights

Tim Livesey, Chief Executive, Embrace the Middle East

Tufail Hussain, UK Director, Islamic Relief

Wassim Khmaja, Deputy CEO, Action for Humanity

Will McCallum, Co-Executive Director, Greenpeace

Zack Polanski, Green Party of England and Wales Deputy Leader