UN Palestinian Rights Committee 27d ago

Agnès Bertrand-Sanz of Oxfam Brussels argues that the central driver of the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine is “impunity,” describing it as “a structural condition” and “a predictable pattern which has allowed things to worsen by the day.” Speaking from Oxfam’s long presence in Palestine, she says the crisis in Gaza continues because “Israel is still deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian people,” with food, water, fuel, medical supplies, shelter materials, and reconstruction still severely restricted. She notes that Gaza’s development has been “pushed back by 77 years,” while humanitarian organizations face blocked supplies, exhausted staff, and limited access to people in need. Bertrand-Sanz also warns that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are facing escalating displacement, movement restrictions, settler violence, and expulsions, calling these policies part of “a broader policy of ethnic cleansing across the occupied Palestinian territory.” Despite this, she describes Oxfam’s continued work delivering “life-saving assistance,” repairing wells, providing drinking water, distributing food and hygiene supplies, offering cash assistance, and supporting displaced communities. She concludes with urgency and hope, saying Palestine is living “its darkest hour,” but that shifting public opinion in Europe and the U.S. gives reason to “keep up standing for Palestine,” because that is “the only way that we’re going to end this cycle of impunity and we’re going to make accountability a reality.” These remarks were delivered on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the 2026 UN Palestine Committee engagement with European Civil Society Organizations. More details: https://www.un.org/unispal/committee-engagement-with-european-civil-society-organisations-in-brussels-belgium-6-may-2026/