War in Gaza

Wars inevitably generate humanitarian crises. The humanitarian and health crises unfolding in Gaza, amid the Israeli-Hamas war that has followed the massacre by Hamas of 1,200 Israelis on October 7 and the seizure of 240 hostages, are extraordinarily complex. That is seen in the escalating scale of death, injury, and destruction; the gravity, danger, urgency, and speed of events; the contested, trauma-laden historical context; and the dread of a sudden escalation across the region. The crises have ignited a charged, historic debate over access, International Humanitarian Law, migration, data sources, ceasefires and related options such as humanitarian corridors and temporary pauses linked to hostage/prisoner exchanges and the easing of the blockade of water, fuel, power, food and medicines. Beneath all of this is the conduct and evolution of the war itself.

 The CSIS live studio conversations, ‘Gaza: The Human Toll,’ are a product of the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security, with co-sponsorship of the CSIS Humanitarian Agenda and the CSIS Middle East Program. 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 and operational choices, 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, speakers will explore current and proposed U.S. policies.

This work is made possible by the generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation