Why has the world lost sight of the suffering of Palestinians? – The Latest

Summary

Podcast Summary:

Today in Focus — The Latest:
Episode: Why has the world lost sight of the suffering of Palestinians?
Date: May 1, 2026
Host: Annie Kelly
Guest: Emma Graham Harrison (The Guardian’s Chief Middle East Correspondent)

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Episode Overview

This episode investigates why global attention has shifted away from the continued suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, despite appalling ongoing conditions. With world focus fixed on the war in Iran, Annie Kelly and Emma Graham Harrison unpack the humanitarian crisis, challenges to aid, and expanding violence in Palestinian territories, drawing on recent reporting and first-hand testimonies.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ceasefire in Name Only (01:24–02:18, 05:20–06:05)

• High Death Toll Despite ‘Ceasefire’:
  • Over 100 Palestinians killed monthly since the supposed ceasefire; Emma questions if this can even be called a ceasefire.
  • "Over 100 people a month on average since the ceasefire began being killed would be considered an active conflict." — Emma Graham Harrison [01:24]
• Ongoing Attacks:
  • Deaths include both civilians and aid workers.
  • UN reports over 800 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire.
  • Airstrikes and shootings near the "yellow line" (Israeli-controlled area) continue.

2. Dire Humanitarian Situation in Gaza (02:27–03:54)

• Food, Water, and Sanitation Shortages:
  • People lack basic necessities: “There's a lack of access to clean water and sanitation. People don’t have enough water to drink, to wash themselves, to make food safely.” — Emma [02:47]
  • Sewage and flooding in tent camps; new rat infestations with children being bitten as they sleep.
• Barriers to Medical Aid:
  • Medical system on its knees; insufficient medical supplies and almost no access to medical evacuations.
  • "This isn't really a logistical issue. It's simply that there are Israeli restrictions on what can get in, whether that’s food, the spare parts they need to mend the water system, medical aid." — Emma [03:45]
• Malnutrition Crisis:
  • In April, only 29,200 tons of food brought into Gaza (less than half of the UN minimum requirement).
  • Quarter of a million children in Gaza estimated to need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2026. [04:01–05:12]

3. Impact of the Iran War on Aid and Global Attention (03:54–04:01, 12:11–13:36)

• Aid Disruption Due to Geopolitical Distraction:
  • War in Iran has “sucked up most of the political, diplomatic, media attention in the world.”
  • Temporary complete siege of Gaza post-Iran war outbreak; some lifting since, but flow remains inadequate.
• International Apathy:
  • "The situation in Gaza just does not seem to be a priority for governments around the world who are concerned about the war in Iran, the impact of higher oil prices on cost of living and inflation and things like that." — Emma [01:24, 12:11]
  • Lots of condemnation but very little practical action to improve the situation.

4. Escalating Violence in the West Bank (06:40–10:10)

• Settler and Soldier Attacks:
  • Dramatic surge in violence by Israeli settlers and soldiers since the Iran conflict.
  • Emma relays the general feeling of impunity for those committing violence, as global attention is elsewhere.
• Notable Incidents:
  • [08:45] A 14-year-old boy, Als, shot outside his school by settlers; his father was killed by settlers seven years prior.
  • Same day: Palestinian school bulldozed overnight by settlers — funded by UK and France; French authorities demand compensation.
  • Roads to schools blocked with razor wire by settlers in the south West Bank.
• Systemic Impunity:
  • "No Israeli has been indicted for killing a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank since an attack in 2019. So that's this entire decade." — Emma [10:30]

5. Israeli Politics and Future Directions (10:10–11:52)

• Political Drivers:
  • Current Israeli cabinet members openly advocate for annexing the West Bank and thwarting a Palestinian state.
  • Upcoming Israeli elections may set further direction.
  • Large sectors of Israeli establishment support current policies; legal accountability almost nonexistent.

6. Dissent Within Israeli Establishment (06:55–08:45)

• Notable Criticism:
  • Tamir Pardo (former Mossad chief): Compared settler violence to historic European attacks on Jews — “he felt ashamed to be Jewish.” [08:10]
  • Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert publicly calls for ICC intervention, citing collapse of Israeli judicial and security systems in West Bank.

7. Prospects for Change (11:52–13:36)

• Domestic and International Pressure:
  • Some increased pressure inside Israel, e.g. high-profile voices condemning the violence.
  • Sparse but sometimes impactful international pressure elsewhere (e.g. response to Israeli soldiers vandalizing Christian sites in Lebanon).
  • For Gaza specifically, outside focus remains low and effective change appears distant.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Ceasefire:

  • "You can question whether this should really be called a ceasefire… for over 100 people a month on average since the ceasefire began being killed would be considered an active conflict." — Emma Graham Harrison [01:24]

• Regarding Humanitarian Crisis:

  • "People don’t have enough water to drink, to wash themselves, to make food safely. Sewage isn’t being taken away… the latest horror is a rat infestation." — Emma Graham Harrison [02:47]
  • "A quarter of a million children are going to need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2026 this year. Quarter of a million in Gaza." — Emma Graham Harrison [04:41]

• On Settler Violence:

  • “The violence he [Tamir Pardo] saw reminded him of attacks on Jewish communities in Europe in the last century. And being there, he felt ashamed to be Jewish.” — Emma Graham Harrison [08:10]
  • Ehud Olmert: "Called for an intervention by the ICC… [because] the Israeli judicial and security system was no longer functioning there." [08:25]

• On Impunity:

  • "No Israeli has been indicted for killing a Palestinian in the occupied west bank since an attack in 2019… there has been no legal accountability for any of those deaths." — Emma Graham Harrison [10:30]

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Important Timestamps

• 01:24: Questions the legitimacy of the ceasefire and highlights continued fatalities.
• 02:47: Describes current living conditions in Gaza.
• 03:54–04:41: Details on aid, UN food statistics, and malnutrition outlook.
• 05:20: Airstrikes and deliberate attacks on civilians and aid workers.
• 06:40–08:45: Surge in settler and military violence in the West Bank; Tamir Pardo and Ehud Olmert condemn the violence.
• 08:45: Reporting on the killing of a teen and school demolitions.
• 10:30: Evidence and implications of total impunity.
• 12:11: Lack of international action and the prospect for change.

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Tone and Delivery

The conversation is direct and unflinching, grounded in first-hand reporting and statistics. Emma Graham Harrison’s responses are factual, detailed, and carry the weight of witnessing suffering; Annie Kelly maintains a somber, focused, and empathetic tone throughout.

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Conclusion

This episode forcefully illuminates why the Palestinian crisis has faded from headlines despite ongoing atrocities and humanitarian disaster. The pairing of ground-level observation with policy analysis demonstrates a harrowing picture of escalating violence, bureaucratic barriers to aid, and global indifference—all amidst rare but urgent internal dissent. The absence of effective international engagement leaves Palestinians in a state of "neither war nor peace, a really bitter, difficult present where… they really struggle to hold onto dignity and really no hope in the near term for a better future." (Emma Graham Harrison [13:36])

For further reading: theguardian.com

Transcript

[Annie Kelly]

This is the Guardian.

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[Emma Graham Harrison]

You can question whether this should really be called a ceasefire. Over 100 people a month on average since the ceasefire began. Being killed would be considered an active conflict. The situation in Gaza just does not seem to be a priority for governments around the world who are concerned about the war in Iran, the impact of higher oil prices on cost of living and inflation and things like that. So certainly at the moment, we see a lot of condemnation, but very little in terms of practical steps that might mean an improvement for people in Gaza who are living in this terrible limbo.

[Annie Kelly]

While the world's attention is on the war in Iran, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the west bank has all but fallen out of the headlines from the Guardians today. In Focus, this is the latest. With me, Annie Kelly. Joining me today is Emma Graham Harrison, our chief Middle east correspondent.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

Emma Graham Harrison, you're the Guardian's chief Middle east correspondent, normally based in Jerusalem. So it's really great to have you here in the studio with us today.

[Emma Graham Harrison]

Thanks. It's great to be here.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

So six months after the ceasefire, we know that conditions on the ground in Gaza are really horrendous. No aid getting in or not enough aid getting in. Same with medical supplies. People are living in these really dire, appalling conditions. So first off, I was hoping that you would just tell us, you know, what is life like for people inside Gaza at the moment?

[Emma Graham Harrison]

So living conditions are still absolutely horrendous. There's still widespread shortages of food for many people. There's a lack of access to clean water and sanitation. People don't have enough water to drink, to wash themselves, to make food safely. Sewage isn't being taken away. So we're seeing tent camps being flooded repeatedly, particularly when it rains. The latest horror is a rat infestation. We're hearing that rats are biting people as they sleep, particularly children. They're gnawing through the sort of few possessions that people have managed to save from, you know, over two years of war, multiple displacements. People who can't get the medical help they need inside Gaza because of the situation, also can't get out. You know, there's not much access to medical evacuation. So it's really, in humanitarian terms, a terrible crisis. And the thing that's particularly frustrating for humanitarians when you to them is that this isn't really a logistical issue. It's simply that there are Israeli restrictions on what can get in, whether that's food, the spare parts they need to mend the water system, medical aid.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

Has that flow of humanitarian aid, has that got worse since the war in Iran? Has it been affected at all over

[Emma Graham Harrison]

the last couple of months, it was interesting. You know, the war on Iran sort of immediately sucked up most of the political, diplomatic, media attention in the world. And we did see in the days that followed, Gaza was put under a complete siege again by Israel. Nothing was allowed in, which we hadn't seen for. For over a year. I think at that point, the last time that had happened was in early 2025. That has been lifted. There has been aid allowed in, but it's not been enough. And in April, 29,200 tons of food went in, which sounds like a lot, but there's 2.1 million people in GAZ, and to meet basic needs with sort of, you know, food staples, rice, flour, things like that. The UN says you need 62,000 tons of food a month, so that's well below what's needed. There are some commercial shipments, but, you know, very few people in Gaza have the money to buy food now after this war. Lack of employment. And another really shocking statistic. The UN estimates that a quarter of a million children are going to need treatment for acute malnutrition in 2026 this year. Quarter of a million in Gaza? Yeah.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

And this is with no real capacity of the healthcare system to treat them.

[Emma Graham Harrison]

Absolutely. This is in a healthcare system that's on its knees.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

It's also the fact that people are also still living under airstrikes. You know, the UN, I think, now says that more than 800 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire. What's going on? What's the scale of those attacks and who are being targeted?

[Emma Graham Harrison]

I mean, absolutely. I think it's, you know, you can question whether this should really be called a ceasefire because, you know, in a lot of places that rate of death that's, you know, over 100 people a month on average since the ceasefire began, being killed would be considered an active conflict. Many of the people being killed are civilians. These are both shootings near the yellow line or the so called yellow line that delineates the Israeli controlled part of Gaza and airstrikes really across all of Gaza where Palestinians are still living.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

I saw just this week that a paramedic had been killed. It's kind of aid workers, journalists as well, who are also being seemingly targeted.

[Emma Graham Harrison]

I mean, last week, you know, coming back to this issue of the shortages of clean water, two drivers who take trucks of water from a water pipe to tented camps where obviously people don't have any piped water, were shot when they were at the water collection point. You know, the Israeli response was that troops were acting in self defense because they perceived a threat. But you know, certainly this is an area that should have been very much known as a humanitarian place where troops should be extra careful.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

It's not just Gaza, is it? I mean, you've also been reporting a lot about violence in the west bank against Palestinian civilians, which seems from the outside to have been kind of ramping up since the war in Iran began as well, what has been happening there.

[Emma Graham Harrison]

So there's been a really striking surge in violence by both Israeli settlers and, and Israeli soldiers in the occupied west bank since the beginning of the war in Iran. You know, people I've spoken to, diplomats, Israeli activists who monitor it, say that their sense is that the people behind this violence feel empowered by the fact that, you know, their own government and the world are very much focused on what's happening, you know, in Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz. And, you know, the violence has got so bad that this isn't just something that's causing alarm among activists or critics. We've seen very senior members of the Israeli establishment raising the highest level of alarm about this. So for instance, last week, Tamir Pardo, who was head of the Mossad intelligence agency under Netanyahu from 2011 to 2016, went to the occupied west bank to see some of the places that have been attacked, meet some of the survivors. And on that trip, this is a man whose, whose mother is a Holocaust survivor survivor. He said that the violence he saw reminded him of attacks on Jewish communities in Europe in the last century. And being there, he felt ashamed to be Jewish.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

I mean that's so. That's really strong, isn't it? From a really unexpected source.

[Emma Graham Harrison]

Absolutely. From, you know, from the heart of Israel's security establishment. And you know, a couple of weeks before that I spoke to former Prime Minister Ehud Olmat who called for an intervention by the icc. He called for the International Criminal Court to intervene to save Palestinians and Israelis from what he called terror attacks in the occupied west bank because he said the Israeli judicial and security system was no longer functioning there.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

I mean, some of the cases are so heartbreaking. This week we had 14 year old boy killed in the west bank when settlers opened fire near his school. I mean it's those individual stories that really bring it home, isn't it?

[Emma Graham Harrison]

So we went to that village to speak to his family, to his community. We saw the place where he was shot. We went a couple of days later, there was still a very large blood stain on the ground. He was barely a meter outside his school gate and the shooter was aiming towards the school when he killed this boy called Alse. And to put it in further context, this was the second bereavement in their family. Alice's father had been killed seven years earlier, shot by a settler. We've seen other targeted attacks on education throughout the West Bank. The same day that Aus was killed, a school a few dozen kilometers to the north was bulldozed. Settlers went in overnight. This was a school funded by European governments, including the British government and the French government. They went in with bulldozers and just knocked the whole school down, leaving just a sort of pile of rubbish. The French have asked for compensation, but there's this sense that really there's nothing stopping these settlers. And in the south of the occupied west bank, settlers have just put razor wire across a road that children from the village of Omelhe used to get to school. So they can't go to school.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

So you've got this expansion of violence in the west bank which looks like with complete impunity. And you've also got this, what looks like a kind of pushing back of that yellow line that Israel put into place at the end of the ceasefire. So what kind of is Israel's end goal here do you think, at the moment? Where is all of this leaving?

[Emma Graham Harrison]

You know, I think that's a very good question. And Israel has elections later this year that I think are going to perhaps provide some answer to that because there are people in the current government who are in the cabinet who are very clear that they want to annex the occupied West Bank. That a lot of what they're doing now is with the specific aim of preventing the creation of a Palestinian state. They want to go back into Gaza, they want to set up settlements there. And, you know, in a couple of months, the elections have to be held by October. They and other leaders are putting that vision to the Israeli public, and we'll, we'll. We'll see what they. What they decide. But certainly at the moment, there are large sections of the Israeli establishment that support what's going on. I mean, you can see that in the fact that when you talk about impunity, no Israeli has been indicted for killing a Palestinian in the occupied west bank since an attack in 2019. So that's this entire decade. There's a couple of people who've been arrested, but none of them have been charged. So every Palestinian who was killed, you know, since 2019 in the occupied west bank, there has been no legal accountability for any of those deaths.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

I mean, you know, for the last 10 minutes, we've been talking about killing of children, killing of, you know, civilians, starving civilians of AIDS and water. With their war ongoing in Iran at the moment and the world distracted, can you see this ending anytime soon?

[Emma Graham Harrison]

So, you know, there's two sources of potential change to behavior. There's internal domestic pressure inside Israel and external pressure. We're seeing this really unprecedented increase in domestic pressure inside Israel over violence by settlers and soldiers in the occupied West Bank. And it'll be interesting to see whether that affects what's happening there. We've saw last week when there was a soldier who attacked a statue of Jesus in Lebanon, that international pressure can be brought to bear very rapidly and with a great impact. But unfortunately, when it comes to Gaza, that the situation in Gaza just does not seem to be a priority for governments around the world who are concerned about the war in Iran, the impact of higher oil prices on cost of living and inflation and things like that. So certainly at the moment, we see a lot of condemnation, but very little in terms of practical steps that might mean an improvement for people in Gaza who are living in this terrible limbo. Really neither war nor peace. A sort of really bitter, difficult present where, you know, they really struggle to hold onto dignity and really no hope in the near term for a better future.

[Annie Kelly (Interviewer)]

Really, you know, terrible to think of all those people having to suffer in those conditions. And thank you, Emma, for all for coming here today and also for all of your reporting.

[Emma Graham Harrison]

Thank you.

[Annie Kelly]

And that's it for today. My thanks again to Emma Graham Harrison, and you can read all of her brilliant [e-mail] and thanks for listening to this episode of the latest Today in Focus is back on Monday. The latest is back on Monday night. This episode was presented by me, Annie Kelly. It was produced by Bryony Moore and Nicola Alexandru. The senior producer was Ryan Ramgobin and the lead producer was Zoe Hitch. This is the Guardian.

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