Elders of Global Leaders Warn Gaza Genocide
International Voices Demand Immediate Relief in Gaza
The Elders, a coalition of former heads of state founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, convened on Tuesday to describe Gaza’s crisis as an “unfolding genocide.” The group accused Israel of deliberately blocking life‑saving aid and warned that obstruction was “causing a famine.”
Statement After Visiting Border Crossings
After delegates toured Egypt’s Rafah crossing, the Elders issued a statement saying:
- Israel’s “deliberate obstruction” of humanitarian deliveries is “shocking and outraging.”
- Evidence gathered confirms that Gaza is facing a “human‑caused famine” and a “genocide.”
Helen Clark Calls for Open Rafah Route
Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark visited the Rafah crossing and urged Israel to allow aid access. She highlighted the collapse of Gaza’s health system and the starving of newborns:
“Many new mothers cannot feed their babies, and the health system is collapsing. All of this threatens the survival of an entire generation.”
Clark was accompanied by Mary Robinson, former Irish president and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who emphasized that international leaders have both the power and the legal obligation to pressure Israel to end what they called “atrocity crimes.”
Delegation Demands Ceasefire and Hostage Release
The Elders’ statement notes:
- Evidence of denied food and medical aid, and witness accounts of killings of Palestinian civilians—including children—while trying to access aid inside Gaza.
- A call for Israel and Hamas to agree a ceasefire and for the immediate release of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
- A demand that the State of Palestine be recognized, while clarifying that recognition alone will not halt the unfolding genocide and famine.
- Immediate suspension of arms transfers to Israel and sanctions on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Context and Current Criticism
Israel’s 22‑month war with Hamas has drawn mounting criticism. United Nations‑backed experts warn of a widespread famine in besieged Gaza, while Netanyahu faces increasing pressure to secure the release of remaining hostages and to expand the war, which he has vowed to pursue with or without Israel’s allies.
Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel triggered the conflict, resulting in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel’s offensive has killed at least 61,499 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas‑run Gaza, a toll the UN considers reliable.
