Twenty-nine Nobel Prize winners, among them India’s Kailash Satyarthi, have demanded the urgent release of children kidnapped in the Middle East conflict and a safe passage for "our children".
In a joint statement, they described they were deeply shocked by the children killed during the massacre by Hamas and in the subsequent bombing in Gaza.
"There is a grave risk of an even worse loss of life in the coming weeks and of children in other countries dying too. Palestinian children are our children, Israeli children are our children. We cannot consider ourselves civilised if this is what we do," the letter said.
The Nobel winners said all the kidnapped children must be urgently released and given a safe passage away from the conflict.
"Children can't be starved of water, food, healthcare and shelter. Children and vulnerable persons must receive humanitarian aid immediately. The lives of the million children living in the Gaza Strip and the three million children living in Israel must be prioritised and protected. Many protests and leaders have rushed to remember the loss of life of only one group of children. But surely, we have room in our hearts for both," they said.
"Tonight, in the middle of this darkness, we will light three candles - one for all the children killed and kidnapped in Israel and one for all the children killed and maimed in the bombing and fighting in Gaza, and one for humanity and hope," they said.
"We invite anyone who supports a lasting peace for all children living in Israel, in Palestine, and beyond to do the same. They are all our children," the statement said.
The signatories include 1996 Nobel Peace prize winner José Manuel Ramos-Horta; 1987 Nobel Peace laureate Oscar Arias, 1986 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry Yuan Lee, 2007 Nobel winner in economics Eric Maskin and 1997 Nobel winner in physics Steven Chu among others.
Damian Talbot