During a visit to Gaza, Egeland said he had seen “scene after scene of absolute despair”, with families torn apart and unable to bury relatives who had died. He said that Israel, with western-supplied arms, had “rendered the densely populated area uninhabitable”. “This is in no way a lawful response, a targeted operation of ‘self-defence’ to dismantle armed groups, or warfare consistent with humanitarian law,” he said. “The families, widows and children I have spoken to are enduring suffering almost unparalleled to anywhere in recent history,” he added. “There is no possible justification for continued war and destruction.”
