Wars inevitably generate humanitarian crises. The humanitarian and health crises unfolding in Gaza, amidst war, are extraordinary: in the escalating scale of death, injury, and destruction; the gravity, danger, urgency, speed, and fluidity of events; the complex and contested historical context; and the dread of sudden further escalation. The crises have ignited a complex, historic debate over access, International Humanitarian Law, migration, data sources, and options such as humanitarian corridors, ceasefires, and pauses in fighting. The humanitarian and health agendas are tied inextricably to evolving deliberations over the course and conduct of the war, in the aftermath of the massacre by Hamas of 1,200 Israel citizens and soldiers on October 7, just as they are tied to continued urgent efforts to secure the release of an estimated 240 hostages still held by Hamas and expand the delivery of food, fuel, water, and medicines to 2.3 million Palestinian civilians under siege. Over all of this hangs the high uncertainty over Gaza’s post conflict future.
The CSIS live studio conversations, ‘Gaza: The Human Toll’ are a product of the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security, in active collaboration with the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda and other CSIS colleagues and programs. The show will convene regularly during this crisis period to capture clearly and accurately the evolving humanitarian and health situation inside Gaza, understand how the conduct of the conflict is shaping outcomes and future policy choices, contextualize the policy and operational choices on the table, think carefully about what may lie ahead, and hear from key operational international agencies and NGOs providing humanitarian assistance, as well as other experts with vital insights. Throughout these conversations will be the question of what is and should be U.S. policy.
This event is made possible by the generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
