Humanitarian crisis in Gaza: Norwegian Refugee Council’s Jan Egeland urges ceasefire and peace talks amid catastrophic conditions

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of suffering, according to Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), who recently visited the region. Egeland described the current conditions as “beyond breaking point” and “unparalleled in recent history,” following his observations of the widespread devastation and the countless families struggling to survive amid relentless conflict. The situation, he asserted, demands an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the initiation of peace talks to halt the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.

Egeland reported seeing “scene after scene of absolute despair” in Gaza, where families are shattered, grieving, and unable to properly bury loved ones. The densely populated area, he explained, has become “uninhabitable” due to the extensive use of Western-supplied arms. He questioned the legality of the conflict, noting that the current warfare and responses fall far short of standards consistent with international humanitarian law. “This is in no way a lawful response or targeted self-defence operation,” he stressed. Egeland called for an urgent reassessment of the ongoing tactics, emphasizing that there is “no possible justification” for the ongoing destruction.

According to recent United Nations estimates, close to two million people in Gaza are now internally displaced, facing severe shortages of essentials like food, water, and medicine. With approximately 80% of Gaza now marked as areas for evacuation and forcible relocation by Israeli forces, Palestinians have been confined to the remaining 20% of the territory. Humanitarian experts argue that these forced relocations may qualify as war crimes, specifically forcible transfer.

In northern Gaza, conditions have become especially dire following intensified military actions and a tightened siege over the past month, leaving roughly 100,000 people entirely cut off from humanitarian assistance. The UN has condemned the “unlawful interference with humanitarian assistance,” with forced displacements worsening the crisis. Egeland noted that aid supplies remain largely restricted, blocked by ongoing violence and destruction. October saw only 36 aid trucks entering Gaza daily—the lowest rate recorded this year.

The severe restrictions on aid have had devastating effects, with people in Gaza enduring days without access to food and clean drinking water. Egeland, who has a background as a Norwegian diplomat and foreign minister, recounted his experience on the ground: “The catastrophic impact of strangled aid flows is undeniable.” He stressed that there hadn’t been a single week since the onset of the war when adequate aid reached Gaza.

In an escalating development, Israel’s parliament recently passed legislation banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and the Palestinian territories, labelling it a terror organization and severing all formal ties. Egeland criticized these measures, calling them a further blow to the already suffering Palestinian population and a dangerous precedent for humanitarian agencies.

Egeland urged for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life, which he said is now inevitable unless those in power act. “This is a deadly situation for Palestinians, aid workers, and journalists,” he warned. Egeland stressed that, while humanitarians can report on the crisis, only powerful leaders have the means to end the suffering and initiate peace talks to bring stability to Gaza and the region.