In yet another plea echoing from within the United Nations chambers, Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, condemned the global community's silence over the humanitarian collapse in Gaza. Speaking to the Security Council, he described the civilian suffering as “plunging into deeper despair by the day,” a grim reflection of the Israeli military campaign that has left the Strip shattered and its people desperate.

Though the UNHCR is not directly involved in relief operations in Gaza, Grandi took the floor to denounce the erosion of international humanitarian law and the failure of global powers to uphold the very principles they claim to defend. “Violence has become the currency of our time,” he said, lamenting the inaction of the Security Council as civilians continue to be massacred with impunity.

Quoting the late Pope Francis, Grandi reminded the world that “every war is a shameful surrender.” His words were not only a rebuke of the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza but also a broader condemnation of a world that has normalised the suffering of millions. As he spoke of the 123 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, his message was unmistakably clear: Gaza is not an isolated tragedy—it is a symbol of a collapsing moral order.

Since Israel resumed its military assault on 18 March, the people of Gaza have endured relentless bombardment, famine, and disease. Border closures have left families without food, clean water, or medicine. And yet, despite the mounting death toll and the cries of starving children, the world looks away.

But as Grandi reminded the Council, the people of Gaza still hope—not for pity, but for justice. They refuse to give up, even as the world turns its back.