Israel's Gaza conflict denounced by Norwegian aid official as an 'annihilation of a civilization'
In the besieged enclave of Gaza, the humanitarian situation is reaching a critical point, with Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), warning of a potential "biblical famine." The ongoing bombardment and restrictions on aid access have left Gaza's civilian population, particularly women and children, suffering.
Egeland describes the humanitarian conditions as catastrophic, with severe starvation and no remaining aid supplies. The NRC, one of the largest independent aid bodies in Gaza, has distributed its last tents, food parcels, and relief items, leaving nothing to aid the population. Even staff members are starving due to the blockade.
Egeland strongly criticizes the ongoing siege and war, labeling it as a "deliberate, systematic starvation" and a crime with Western powers complicit. He emphasizes that the solution to avert the crisis ultimately rests with Israel and the Western powers, as they provide the arms for the conflict and have the ability to change the situation.
Despite growing starvation and desperation, aid organizations are blocked from bringing new supplies into Gaza. Egeland rejects airdrops as a solution to the crisis, indicating they do not effectively address the urgent needs on the ground. The NRC is still denied access for its water and sanitation hygiene items, food, and tents in Gaza.
The Palestinian aid workers in Gaza have endured repeated displacement, hunger, and profound personal loss while continuing their humanitarian work. Malnutrition-related deaths are continuing to rise in Gaza, and large areas of the enclave are now experiencing full-scale famine, according to UN experts. The food and health sectors in Gaza have collapsed, leading to preventable deaths due to lack of water and sanitation.
Israel has made efforts to increase aid deliveries, including a temporary pause in military operations, partial openings of humanitarian corridors, and aid airdrops. However, these efforts are seen as insufficient by Egeland, who states they are "not enough to avert a biblical famine on our watch."
In a show of support, the UK announced it will recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not take significant steps to end the crisis in Gaza. Egeland also suggested that he would give the Nobel Peace Prize to his Palestinian colleagues in Gaza if he could, paying tribute to their resilience and heroism in the face of adversity.
Egeland calls for an immediate ceasefire and an urgent and large-scale opening of Gaza's border crossings to allow full access for aid groups. He emphasizes the urgent need to end the siege and war in Gaza to prevent further destruction and regional destabilization. Western leaders are finally acknowledging warnings about the crisis in Gaza that aid agencies have been raising for months, according to Egeland. Trump acknowledged the existence of "real starvation" in Gaza during a meeting with Starmer.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the international community must take action to prevent a catastrophic humanitarian disaster. The urgent demands to end the siege and war in Gaza are clear, and the consequences of inaction could be dire.
- The news of a potential "biblical famine" in the Gaza enclave, warned by Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), highlights the critical state of health and wellness in the region.
- Egeland, criticizing the ongoing war and siege in Gaza, labels it as a crime against humanity, implicating Western powers in complicity.
- The collapse of the food and health sectors in Gaza, as a result of the siege, has led to increasing malnutrition-related deaths and full-scale famine in large areas.
- Despite Israel's efforts to increase aid deliveries, Egeland continues to stress the need for an immediate ceasefire and an urgent and large-scale opening of Gaza's border crossings for full access of aid groups.
- In a recent development, the UK has announced it will recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not take significant steps to end the crisis in Gaza.
- The ongoing crisis in Gaza, with its impact on health, food, and general-news, underscores the importance of arts, science, and politics in addressing the complexities of war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice in the region.
