This poem was written in 2009 when there was a previous Israeli onslaught on Gaza and an Israeli spokesperson insisted that there was “no humanitarian crisis in Gaza”.
There have been many other similar attacks and the poem applies equally to all. Other representatives of Israel continue to make similar reassuring claims.
A list of other attacks may be found at the end of this poem.
In 2025 the poem is still relevant. Israeli representatives still tell blatant lies to the media. See my post, “Did you know that it’s all lies about starvation in Gaza?”

No humanitarian crisis in Gaza

“There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” Israeli spokesperson, Tzipi Livni. BBC interview, 2009.

Contrary to what many people say
there is no humanitarian crisis
in Gaza today.

Nobody suffers
and nobody cries.
Everyone lives
and nobody dies.

There is no trauma.
Everything is going on
as normal.

Gaza is not under siege.
Palestinians are free
to go anywhere they please.

No-one is bombing Gaza.
No-one is firing machine guns in Gaza.
No one is being shelled from the sea
or by tanks.
Everything is as safe as houses.

No schools, or UN buildings,
or hospitals, or churches or mosques
have been destroyed.
All Palestinian children
are safe.

Medical facilities are more than adequate
for the needs of Palestinians.
Electricity supplies and clean drinking water
are available 24 hours a day.

There are no explosions.
The ground does not shake.
Palestinians love to watch the lights in the sky
at night.
They like to stay awake.

There are no breaches
of the Geneva Conventions
or the laws of war.

Of course, we know
the media do not always tell the truth,
but finding the truth is difficult.
They cannot be blamed.
Palestine has not been wiped off the map.
Palestine has not been renamed.

The Palestinian Defence Force
has an impeccable reputation.
It has not been vilified
or sold to the world’s media
as a terrorist organisation.

The government of Gaza
elected under the approving eyes
of international observers in 2006
is respected and honoured
by its friendly neighbours,
the Israelis.

No elected Palestinian politician
has been kidnapped.
No Palestinian leader
has been assassinated.

Eliminating the Gazan civil administration
is a service provided by Israel
to help Palestinians,
and bring about their liberation.

What more can Israel do?
What more can we say?
There is no humanitarian crisis
in Gaza today.

David Roberts
January 2009

A voice for the oppressors

This poem was written in January 2009 in response to the statement, made in an interview with the BBC by the Israeli spokesperson, Tzipi Livni, that “There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” The same mendacious and outrageous story was presented by Israeli spokesperson, Tzipi Hotovely during the 2023 – 2025 Israeli onslaught on Gaza.
The BBC, whilst giving a platform to those clearly promoting crimes against humanity, rarely gives space to Palestinian spokesmen  or to those in the UK who oppose criminal activity. Even news of the numerous mass protests is seldom heard.

Israeli persecution of Palestinians – Israeli aims

Israel has been persecuting Palestinians for many decades – see details below of some attacks on Palestinians in recent years. The people of Gaza seem to have suffered even more than the rest of Palestine (the so-called West Bank). Israel has always been in possession of overwhelming destructive force and used it with the effect of causing terrible and disproportionate suffering to civilians.
The clear purpose has been to make life in Gaza unbearable, unsustainable, to destroy the viability of Palestinian life in that small area. The attacks have been out of all proportion to the provocation. International law is simply ignored by Israel.
The Palestinians live in a land once their own but now occupied by force by Israel. That they from time to time carry out violent attacks against their oppressors is not surprising. What is so tragic is that it is clear that Israel does not want to live in peace and friendship with Palestinians but seeks instead to dominate and harass, Palestinians, seize their property in the West Bank, destroy thousands of homes, murder thousands of Palestinians, assassinate their leaders, traumatise every Palestinian, make life unlivable and unbearable for Palestinians and denies Palestinians any right to self defence (or right to fight back), denies that Palestinians have right to chose who runs their health service, education and other civil functions. Then expects in return, friendship, respect, cooperation, passive obedience and kind feelings towards Israel.
Actually friendship is not what the state of Israel is seeking, but the destruction of Palestinians. With such a policy it is little wonder that Israel feels itself to be the most insecure country in the world, even though it is the most heavily armed.

The rest of the world

The US government has provided massive military assistance to Israel in carrying out their aggression against Palestinians although we often hear how the US government is trying to bring about a “peace agreement”. The UK and EU countries support Israel and dare not tell the US that their support for Israeli criminality is not acceptable.

The solution

A two state solution is agreed by all countries except one. The Israeli government seeks another solution.

Here is a list of attacks by Israel as compiled by ChatGPT (Two reports combined). Note the final sentence.

“1. Operation Rainbow (May 2004)
• Aimed at destroying tunnels used for weapons smuggling in Rafah, southern Gaza.
• Resulted in the destruction of homes and civilian casualties.
2. Operation Days of Penitence (September–October 2004) (Jabalia Refugee Camp)
• Dates: 29 September – 16 October 2004
• Context: Israeli response to rocket fire from northern Gaza, especially Jabalia.
• Palestinian casualties: ~133 killed, including 87 non-combatants (according to B’Tselem); over 400 wounded.
◦ More than 20 children among the dead.
• Israeli casualties: 5 soldiers killed; several injured.
• Damage: Over 90 homes destroyed in Jabalia.
🔹 Sources: B’Tselem, Human Rights Watch, Haaretz.
•
3. 2006 — Gaza Clashes
• Dates: June – November 2006 (Operation Summer Rains and Autumn Clouds)
• Context: Following the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Palestinian militants.
• Palestinian casualties: ~400 killed between June–Nov 2006; significant portion civilians (including ~100 children).
• Israeli casualties: 5 soldiers and 2 civilians killed; dozens injured.
• Notable incidents:
◦ Beit Hanoun shelling (Nov 2006): 19 Palestinian civilians killed in their homes by Israeli artillery.
🔹 Sources: UN OCHA, B’Tselem, Amnesty International.

4. Operation Autumn Clouds (November 2006)
• Focused on Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.
• Aimed at stopping rocket attacks on Israel.
5. Operation Hot Winter (February–March 2008)
• Launched in response to increased rocket fire from Gaza.
• Involved ground and air assaults.
6. 2008–2009 — Operation “Cast Lead”
• Dates: 27 December 2008 – 18 January 2009
• Context: A major Israeli offensive following rocket attacks from Gaza.
• Palestinian casualties:
◦ ~1,385 killed (UN report); ~759 civilians including 318 children and 109 women.
◦ ~5,300 wounded.
• Israeli casualties:
◦ 13 killed (10 soldiers, 3 civilians); over 500 injured, many by rockets.
• Damage: Massive destruction in Gaza; 3,500 homes destroyed.
🔹 Sources: Goldstone Report (UN), B’Tselem, IDF.
.
7. Operation Pillar of Defense (November 2012)
• Targeted Hamas leaders and infrastructure after continued rocket attacks.
• Lasted eight days and resulted in hundreds of Palestinian deaths.
8. 2014 — Operation “Protective Edge”
• Dates: 8 July – 26 August 2014
• Context: Escalation following the killing of three Israeli teens and rocket fire from Gaza.
• Palestinian casualties:
◦ ~2,251 killed (UN OCHA); 1,462 civilians including 551 children.
◦ Over 11,000 wounded.
• Israeli casualties:
◦ 73 killed (67 soldiers, 6 civilians); ~469 wounded.
• Damage:
◦ 18,000+ homes destroyed or severely damaged in Gaza.
◦ Massive displacement of over 500,000 Gazans.
🔹 Sources: UN Human Rights Council, B’Tselem, IDF.

9. Operation Guardian of the Walls (May 2021)
(11 Days of Fighting)
• Dates: 10–21 May 2021
• Context: Sparked by tensions in East Jerusalem and clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
• Palestinian casualties:
◦ ~261 killed, including 67 children and 41 women (Gaza Health Ministry); ~129 civilians (B’Tselem).
◦ Over 2,200 wounded.
• Israeli casualties:
◦ 13 killed (2 children, 1 soldier, 10 civilians); ~200 injured.
• Notable events: High-rise buildings in Gaza destroyed; Israel claimed they housed militant assets.
🔹 Sources: UN, B’Tselem, IDF, Human Rights Watch.

10. Operation Breaking Dawn (August 2022)

• Dates: 5–7 August 2022
• Context: Pre-emptive Israeli strike targeting the militant group Islamic Jihad.
• Palestinian casualties:
◦ ~49 killed, including 17 children (UN, Palestinian MoH); around 30 considered militants.
◦ Over 360 injured.
• Israeli casualties:
◦ No fatalities; some injuries from rocket fire.
• Notes:
◦ Israel said most civilian deaths were due to misfired Islamic Jihad rockets.
◦ No Hamas involvement in this conflict.
🔹 Sources: UN OCHA, Amnesty, IDF.
•
11. 2023–2024 Israel-Gaza War (October 2023 – ongoing)

Israeli and Palestinian Casualties (as of early 2025)
• Palestinian fatalities:
◦ Gaza Health Ministry reports 46,000–52,000+ deaths by early 2025 Politico+11nine145+11LinkedIn+11.
◦ A 2025 Lancet study estimates ~64,260 traumatic injury deaths by mid‑2024 Al Jazeera+2nine145+2LinkedIn+2.
• Israeli fatalities: Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals killed (mostly on 7 October 2023, in Israel) plus ongoing hostages and injuries OCHA OPT+2OCHA OPT+2OCHA OPT+2.
Operation “Might and Sword” (18 March 2025)
• Palestinian casualties: 855+ killed, ~1,869 wounded. Includes one of the deadliest single strikes since October 2023 Wikipedia+15Wikipedia+15Wikipedia+15.
• ?
Each of these operations led to significant casualties, destruction, and humanitarian crises in Gaza.”