Palestinian-New Zealanders and supporters are on a hīkoi to Parliament this morning — calling on the Government to do more to help those suffering in Gaza.
The group was walking a 41km route from the Hutt Valley to Wellington, which is the length of Gaza. They would then stop at Parliament to hand in a petition calling for action, which included nearly 16,000 signatures.
Katrina Mitchell-Kouttab from the Arab Association told Breakfast about 150 joined the walk this morning.
"Everyone's in very high spirits, we've stopped off for a bit of hot chocolate and hot cross buns along the way."
She said the call for Government action was part of a global movement. "This is going on in 125 countries at the moment and basically we would love the Government to take some robust action and, instead of talking and giving us these nice words, we would like the Government to live up to its international obligations."
Mitchell-Kouttab started the petition to speak out against the killings in Gaza. Members of her family were killed when an Israeli airstrike toppled a wall of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius.
“The Government’s muted response is inadequate and unacceptable in the face of so much visible suffering," she said.
"New Zealand is obliged to support the orders of the International Court of Justice. This includes the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and that Israel takes all measures in its power to prevent genocide.
"Our Government’s obligations under international humanitarian law also include preventing the direct targeting of civilians, taking of hostages, use of "human shields", and engaging in indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
“Right now, New Zealand is running the risk of violating its duty under international law by failing to exercise its influence to stop an ongoing genocide," she said.
At the end of February, Gaza’s health ministry estimated 30,000 Palestinians had been killed – mostly women and children.
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