The Norwegian Refugee Council’s Secretary General, Jan Egeland has condemned the international community’s willingness to fund military campaigns. He noted that critical humanitarian operations across the Middle East face crippling funding shortages and political obstruction.
Jan Egeland warns life-saving work is under threat
Jan Egeland, in a post on X, said the escalating crisis threatens to eject his organisation from Israel within days. He questioned the disparity in global spending priorities.
How come it is so difficult to get even minimum funding for very successful and cost-efficient humanitarian relief to the millions in great need in the Middle East, whereas it is so easy to find billions of dollars for military campaign in and on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and now… https://t.co/F0LDYeaJgP
— Jan Egeland (@NRC_Egeland) March 1, 2026
He questioned how easy it is to find billions of dollars for military campaigns in and on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and now Iran.
“How come it is so difficult to get even minimum funding for very successful and cost-efficient humanitarian relief to the millions in great need in the Middle East,” Egeland asked.
The NRC serves millions of refugees and displaced people through thousands of courageous aid workers across the Middle East. This is from the ruins in Gaza and Lebanon to its operations supporting more than two million Afghan refugees in Iran.
Egeland warned that a prolonged all-out war would paralyse life-saving operations for millions of vulnerable people.
The warning came as the NRC faces imminent expulsion from Israel unless authorities reverse a decision to revoke the organisation’s registration. Egeland noted that within three days, the NRC and other aid groups would be kicked out of Israel.
In reaction, Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, described the situation as trial and error, and error and error in a campaign of conquest where humanitarian aid is no longer needed as a façade.
Her comments reflected growing international concern that humanitarian operations have become collateral damage in an increasingly politicised conflict environment.
Funding ultimatum rejected
The dispute centres on Israeli demands for personal details of humanitarian workers, a requirement Egeland said the NRC cannot accept.
“Israel is pressing for something that we cannot comply with, namely the personal details of humanitarian workers,” he explained.
The NRC has offered numerous alternatives, including having third parties review and check all staff lists and vet all personnel against sanctioned individuals’ lists. However, Egeland stressed the organisation has consistently rejected similar attempts from parties in conflict areas worldwide to limit the neutrality of humanitarian work.
Since 2009, the NRC has provided essential humanitarian aid in Gaza and the West Bank. Since October 2023 alone, the organisation has reached over one million people in Gaza and 100,000 in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, this assistance includes water and sanitation services to over 500,000 people, shelter to almost 300,000 people, and legal aid to over 50,000 people.
Jan Egeland, has earlier condemned the international community for neglecting the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. He blames the inward-focused policies of the United States and European nations for the waning of global attention.