Gaza and Palestine: Frequently asked questions
What is the Red Line for Palestine campaign?
Day after day we have watched atrocities in Palestine unfold on our screens, as the Israeli government crosses red line after red line with impunity.
Civilians in Gaza continue to face the horrors of a genocide - indiscriminate attacks on homes, schools, hospitals, and refugee camps continue. Life-saving aid is still being blocked. Palestinians in the West Bank face violent displacement and the destruction of their economy. What we’re witnessing is the systematic destruction of a people’s ability to live, to hope, to exist.
Red Line for Palestine is a campaign inspired by symbolic ‘red line’ protests around the world. It began as the Red Line for Gaza campaign, but rebranded in April 2026.
The UK campaign is coordinated by Oxfam GB, War Child UK and many others – it’s about using our collective voices to call for an end to the UK government’s complicity in these atrocities.
What are the Red Lines?
A red line is a limit that should never be crossed. In the case of the Red Line for Palestine campaign, it means breaches of international law.
Why is Oxfam campaigning on this?
Oxfam exists to prevent and relieve poverty, to offer humanitarian support to people facing extreme vulnerability, and to advocate for their rights. It’s Oxfam’s job to speak out when people are made vulnerable to killing and starvation – and that’s the case for people in Gaza right now.
What about the ceasefire?
The ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza was nothing of the sort.
Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the latest ceasefire agreement began. The Israeli military continues to indiscriminately attack homes, schools, hospitals, and refugee camps. The Israeli government continue to impose crippling restrictions that make it nearly impossible to deliver enough life-saving assistance to people in Gaza.
The fragility of intermittent ceasefires, and trauma of persistent insecurity, takes a significant psychological toll on all civilians.
What does it mean to act in solidarity with Palestinians?
This means joining together and recognising our common humanity. We all deserve to have access to our basic human rights. Our collective wellbeing and humanity lies in our ability to support each other, speak out against the injustices we see, and work towards a fairer world for us all.
Our hope is for all Palestinians and Israelis to live in freedom, with full and equal civil and political rights.
Why are we saying the UK government is complicit?
The UK government remains complicit in these atrocities, by its continued military, economic and diplomatic support of Israel.
The International Court of Justice has ruled that states must not aid or assist Israel in its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.
Our government is making a choice - to support Israel whilst acknowledging that their actions amount to war crimes.
- Read more about UK arms sales to Israel here.
- The UK continues to trade with Israeli settlements in violation of their legal obligation under the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 advisory opinion.
What should the UK government be doing?
Our government must act beyond the symbolic recognition of Palestine and towards true, meaningful statehood for Palestinians: full self-determination, economic sovereignty and an end to brutal occupation. This includes complying with international law and using its influence and leverage with the Israeli government by:
- ending all arms sales and military support to Israel
- ending all trade with illegal Israeli settlements
It must not prioritise perceived security or economic advantage over its legal and moral obligations.
Additionally the government must continue to push for a permanent and meaningful ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access in Gaza so aid can reach people in desperate need, and the suspension and reversal of the deregistration of Oxfam and other INGOs.
What about the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state?
Our government must act beyond the symbolic recognition of Palestine and towards true, meaningful statehood for Palestinians: full self-determination, economic sovereignty and an end to brutal occupation. This includes complying with international law and using its influence and leverage with the Israeli government.
Why does Oxfam refer to actions of the Israeli government in Gaza as genocide?
Oxfam refers to the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza as genocide following a rigorous legal assessment and consultation with experts, grounded in the UN Genocide Convention.
This determination is based on:
- Mounting evidence, including patterns of conduct and public statements indicating intent
- Reports from numerous organisations, including Amnesty International and the UN Special Committee
- First-hand accounts of atrocities witnessed by Oxfam’s partners on the ground
- Evidence submitted to the International Court of Justice
All the above points to deliberate acts aimed at destroying the civilian population in Gaza and rendering the area uninhabitable. As a humanitarian organisation, Oxfam has a responsibility to speak out to help protect civilians and prevent further atrocities and genocidal acts.
Is Oxfam able to provide any meaningful aid in Gaza?
The Israeli government is blocking all but a trickle of life-saving aid into Gaza. People are struggling to access basics like food, water, medicine and shelter.
Even in the face of unimaginable suffering and relentless bombardment, Oxfam and our partners continue to make a difference in the lives of Palestinians in Gaza. Together, we are doing all we can to provide life-saving support amid a near-total blockade.
Although our operations are currently severely restricted, our warehouses are stocked with vital supplies and we are ready to scale up our response as soon as more aid is allowed in.
Why isn't Oxfam responding within Israel?
Our decision to respond in any crisis is always driven by humanitarian need alone. The Israeli government and local and national organisations currently have the capacity to meet needs in Israel. Oxfam’s appeal is therefore focused on providing help in Gaza.
What assurances can you make that Oxfam funds are not supporting any armed groups?
Oxfam is an impartial organisation with rigorous controls in place to ensure assistance we provide gets to the people who need it most. We have no links to Hamas. Hamas does not control, direct or influence our work, and no Oxfam funding goes to Hamas. Oxfam either works directly or via trusted partner organisations, which are carefully vetted.
What is Oxfam’s view of the taking of Israeli and foreign nationals as hostages?
Oxfam unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks and the taking of hostages by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups on 7 October.
We have called for the release of hostages and accountability for those responsible. We also call for the release of all Palestinian civilian detainees being illegally held in Israel.
What is Oxfam’s view of abuse committed by Palestinian armed groups on 7 October?
Oxfam condemns reports of abuse and sexual violence of Israeli civilians and foreign nationals on 7 October, by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups.
Abuse of civilians, detainees and combatants is a violation, both morally and in the eyes of international humanitarian and human rights law. There must be full independent investigations of all allegations and perpetrators must be held to account.
What is Oxfam’s view of abuse committed by Israeli forces?
Oxfam condemns reports of sexual violence and torture of Palestinian prisoners, including thousands of illegally detained civilians, by Israeli forces.
Abuse of civilians, detainees and combatants are violations, both morally and in the eyes of international humanitarian and human rights law. There must be full independent investigations of all allegations and perpetrators must be held to account.
What is Oxfam's view of Israel's right to defend its citizens and defeat Hamas?
There is no military solution possible to the conflict.
This attempt by Israel to destroy Hamas militarily is coming at an overwhelming cost of civilian death, injury and destruction, including thousands of children. Israel’s military aggression is in no way proportionate to the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
True justice and lasting peace will not be possible without addressing the root cause of this conflict – Israel’s ongoing oppression of Palestinians. There must be an end to the blockade of Gaza, and to the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
Our hope is for all Palestinians and Israelis to live in freedom, with full and equal civil and political rights.