15th November 2023
Dear Ben Bradshaw MP,
I am writing to you to urge you support an immediate bilateral ceasefire in today’s votes.
A ceasefire is urgently needed because the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and it is increasingly clear that there will be no military solution that eliminates Hamas. Only a political solution will protect innocent lives, start to build the justice lacking in this region for so long, and deliver lasting peace.
Joined by over 1,000 people, I attended a peaceful protest in Exeter two weeks ago calling on you to back a ceasefire. This demonstrates the strength of feeling so many of your constituents have on this harrowing issue, myself included.
War fails to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. It affects millions of innocent Palestinians, the ongoing hostage situation, and risks regional escalation. Hamas’ terrorist attacks six weeks ago cannot justify more war crimes. Bombs in Gaza are indiscriminate, and many surviving civilians are deprived of medicine, food, water, shelter, or a safe way to evacuate. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 136 children are killed every day this war goes on in Gaza. That means, on average, a child is killed in Gaza every 10 minutes. This is appalling.
Let us urge the government to join much of the international community in calling and call for an immediate bilateral ceasefire, allowing the space to achieve a political solution. Rather than this freezing the conflict, we must support diplomatic efforts toward delivering a political solution with Hamas removed from Gaza.
We have a duty to stand up for what is right: to prevent more needless civilian deaths, finally put an end to the cycles of violent escalation, and deliver lasting peace.
Will Aczel
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Exeter
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