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Doctors Michele Ghielmini, Brenno Balestra, Alessandra Guaita and Marco Franzi sit outside the Swiss Parliament building (Bundeshaus) at the start of their hunger strike over Gaza, calling on their government to apply targeted sanctions on Israel over its alleged violations of international law and to recognise a Palestinian state, in Bern, Switzerland.

HE the Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi has lauded the Arab League Council of Ministers' unanimous approval of the State of Qatar's proposal to establish the Permanent Arab Committee for International Humanitarian Law.This move represents an Arab milestone and a significant advancement in boosting cooperation to promote the values of humanitarian law and compliance with the tenets of international humanitarian law in the Arab region amid the challenges besetting the region, HE Al Mohannadi underlined.He lavished praise on the efforts made by the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, chaired by HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Chairman of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law Saeed bin Abdullah Al Suwaidi, along with its success in the productive coordination with national committees in the sisterly Arab nations to develop a draft proposal for establishing the committee in a manner that meets the aspirations of the Arab states.Having praised the support given by the General Secretariat of the Arab League and the Legal Affairs Sector to adopt this draft proposal, HE Al Mohannadi stated that Qatar's proposal in this respect underscores its enduring commitment to essentially respect the tenets of international humanitarian law, promote the provisions of this law on the Arab stage, as well as the efforts aimed at enforcing it at multiple national levels, in accordance with the provisions of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the two Additional Protocols of 1977, and the regional action plans of the relevant Arab national committees.For his part, HE Al Suwaidi hailed the approval of Qatar's proposal, emphasizing that the national committee took the initiative with this proposal, stemming from the State of Qatar's belief and its unwavering commitment to international humanitarian law embodied by the nation's leading initiatives to craft national legislations and establish a national committee related to international humanitarian law.He extended his gratitude to national committees in the Arab countries and the Arab League's Legal Affairs Sector for their support, applauding their efforts to approve this proposal.This approval honestly ushers in a new era in the march of joint Arab action, as the committee operates under the supervision of the Arab League's council at the ministerial level to coordinate this action among the national committees in the area of international humanitarian law as the competent apparatus in connection with the topics of international humanitarian law at the Arab League, Al Suwaidi underlined.He pointed out that the committee ought to contribute to beefing up collaboration among the Arab national committees, spreading the culture of international humanitarian law, capitalizing on diverse experiences, and setting technical support plans and programs, as well as holding professional training sessions, seminars, and workshops in collaboration with the relevant regional committees and organisations.

Aid flotillas like the one preparing to leave for Gaza would not be necessary if governments upheld international law, rights activist Greta Thunberg said Saturday."It should not have to be up to us," said the 22-year-old Swedish campaigner, who will join the flotilla when it sets off from Barcelona today."A mission like this should not have to exist," she added."It is the responsibility of countries, of our governments and elected officials to act to try to uphold international law, to prevent war crimes, to prevent genocide," she said."That is their legal duty to do. And they are failing to do so. And thereby betraying Palestinians but also all of humanity."The latest aid expedition towards Gaza is organised by a group called the Global Sumud Flotilla, which describes itself as an "independent" organisation. Sumud is the Arab word for perseverance."Our aim is to get to Gaza, to deliver the humanitarian aid, announce the opening of a humanitarian corridor and then bring more aid, and then thus also ending, breaking Israel's illegal and inhumane siege on Gaza," said Thunberg.Two attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza, in June and July, were blocked by Israel.Troops boarded their vessels and detained the activists, bringing them ashore in Israel before expelling them. Thunberg was among the 12 activists on board the June flotilla and was deported.The organisers of this latest flotilla have not said exactly when they are setting off, nor how many boats will leave from Barcelona.The UN on August 22 declared a famine in Gaza, blaming Israel's "systematic obstruction" of aid, sparking furious denials from the Israeli authorities.