The Iran war is causing significant global humanitarian impact, with rising energy costs affecting everything from operating vehicles to paying staff and purchasing food for displaced individuals. Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), one of the world’s leading non-governmental aid organizations, stated that diesel prices have doubled in some countries, making it more expensive to run vehicles and generators.
Egeland also noted that food costs are higher per family in need, and staff salaries remain a challenge for the NRC. Consequently, fewer people will receive assistance due to increased costs, despite growing needs. Additionally, funding from donor countries has been redirected towards defense budgets.
The NRC’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories have been affected since 2009, including during the Gaza war. In February, the Israeli Supreme Court temporarily halted Israel’s government from closing aid organizations’ operations in Gaza but the NRC still lost its registration with Israeli authorities.
Egeland praised President Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza as “wonderful,” noting it stopped massacres and full-scale war. However, he expressed concern over the lack of peace implementation and the denial of access to aid groups in Gaza, where Israel continues to destroy homes despite a ceasefire guaranteeing increased aid.
Israel controls all access to Gaza, denying supplies to its 2 million residents, while Palestinians and international aid organizations claim that insufficient aid still reaches the territory.