Cairo: Former Irish President Mary Robinson and New Zealand's former Prime Minister Helen Clark have accused Israel of deliberately blocking vital humanitarian aid from reaching the blockaded Gaza Strip. Robinson and Clark, representing the global leaders group The Elders, visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing last week to assess the situation of aid trucks stranded due to Israel's closure of the Palestinian side of the terminal.
According to Anadolu Agency, Robinson and Clark reported that despite some food getting through, a significant volume of life-saving supplies, including generators, wheelchairs, crutches, oxygen cylinders, tents, and children's books, remained undelivered. Robinson expressed her concern about the undelivered supplies, noting, "It is utterly devastating to see the sheer volume of vital materials sitting: oxygen cylinders, generators, wheelchairs, crutches."
Clark emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that during their visit to Rafah, they witnessed full trucks being turned away and declared, "This has to stop."
The former officials have made a joint appeal for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access to Gaza, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation. Robinson stressed the urgency by declaring, "The people are starving, children are starving and dying of malnutrition. We are seeing an unfolding famine and an unfolding genocide, and it is not acceptable."
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, cutting off aid shipments since March 2, impacting approximately 2.4 million Palestinians. This blockade has driven the enclave into a state of famine, with Gaza requiring around 600 aid trucks and 50 fuel trucks daily to meet minimum humanitarian needs.
Robinson and Clark expressed their outrage at Israel's actions, stating, "Today we express our shock and outrage at Israel's deliberate obstruction of the entry of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza, causing mass starvation to spread."
They further reported evidence of food and medical aid being denied entry, and accounts of Palestinian civilians, including children, being killed while attempting to access aid. They also highlighted the destruction of health facilities in Gaza, which has left children facing acute malnutrition without effective treatment, with at least 36 children starving to death in July.
The former leaders have called on Israel to reopen Gaza's crossings to allow humanitarian aid access, noting that no shelter materials have entered Gaza since March, leaving displaced families without protection and exacerbating water insecurity for 96% of households.
The Israeli army's offensive against Gaza since October 2023 has resulted in the deaths of over 61,700 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, and Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.