The humanitarian response to the nightmare in Gaza is failing – here’s what must happen | Mark Lowcock

Lives can still be saved, but time is running out for the international community to provide effective help

• Mark Lowcock was head of humanitarian affairs at the UN from 2017-21

Policymakers everywhere were caught unprepared by the heinous atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October. None of them, though, can have been surprised by what has followed. Israel's response was predictable and predicted - and so too are its humanitarian consequences.

Immediate efforts to mobilise relief - such as last week's pledge from the British government of a further 20m in aid - ooze tokenism. They are commensurate with neither the obvious scale and future duration of the humanitarian tragedy upon us, nor the public horror across the world at what is happening. The money and capacity available is wholly inadequate to support the more than 2 million people who need life-saving help.

Mark Lowcock was head of humanitarian affairs at the UN from 2017-21. He is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development.

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