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Israel-Gaza: NRC calls for humanitarian corridors to save lives

Statement by Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, on the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza:

“The Norwegian Refugee Council calls for humanitarian corridors and pauses to be immediately introduced, to allow the safe passage of humanitarian personnel and relief supplies into Gaza. We call on the international community to urgently insist on humanitarian access and civilian protection.

“At this moment, Gaza has almost run out of fuel, with medicine and food in dangerously low supply. This incredibly densely populated area is under full siege and relentless bombardment by Israel. We must be enabled to bring life-saving assistance to the people of Gaza as quickly as possible.

“I have written to foreign ministers around the world, calling on them to immediately secure humanitarian pauses and corridors to save lives. Aid workers cannot do their jobs while bombs are falling everywhere. We are urgently calling on the US, EU, and Arab states to step up support in order to better protect civilian life and end the mass displacement of families.

“This relentless bloodshed and targeting of civilians must end. With every ongoing minute of violence, the lives of Israeli and Palestinian children and their families are being devastated.”

Notes to editors:

  • More than 1,300 Israelis and 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured.
  • Scores of Israelis are also still being held hostage by Palestinian armed groups.
  • Within Gaza more than 338,000 people have been displaced, with the vast majority unable to flee or reach safety.
  • Download photos and videos from Gaza for free use here.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

  • NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329
  • Ahmed Bayram, Middle East Media Adviser, in Amman: ahmed.bayram@nrc.no, +962 79 0160147