Mary Robinson warns governments are 'increasingly complicit in genocide' after visiting Gaza border
Robinson, along with other members of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders and advocates, visited the Rafah border crossing in Egypt this week, where she said they witnessed firsthand the devastating conditions in Gaza.
'Governments that are not using all the tools at their disposal to halt the unfolding genocide in Gaza are increasingly complicit,' Robinson said.
'Political leaders have the power and the legal obligation to apply measures to pressure this Israeli government to end its atrocity crimes.'
Her remarks come amid continued obstruction by Israel of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, which dozens of aid groups have said is causing mass starvation and widespread suffering.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the situation as 'man-made mass starvation,' with over 222 people, including 101 children, having died from malnutrition since the war began.
Health facilities in Gaza have been systematically destroyed, leaving children facing acute malnutrition without effective treatment.
Official reports show at least 36 children starved to death in July alone.
During the visit to the Rafah crossing with Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Robinson said they witnessed aid supplies being blocked from entering Gaza.
Mary Robinson and Helen Clark pictured in Egypt.
The Elders
The Elders
She also recalled accounts of Palestinian civilians, including children, being killed while trying to access desperately needed food and medical help.
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She stressed the urgent need for all border crossings — including the critical Rafah crossing — to be opened immediately to allow aid to reach those trapped inside Gaza.
'This is all the more urgent given Prime Minister Netanyahu's plan to take over Gaza City,' she said.
'President Trump has the leverage to compel a change of course. He must use it now.'
'A significant proportion of manifested trucks are turned away with vital supplies. The world needs to know... This has to stop.'
Mary Robinson and
@HelenClarkNZ
witness the devastating reality at the closed Rafah border with Gaza.
pic.twitter.com/kMjVo9whio
— The Elders (@TheElders)
August 12, 2025
Clark highlighted the collapsing health system, noting a dramatic 40% drop in Gaza's birth rate in the first half of 2025, as women lack safe places to give birth and mothers struggle to feed their newborns.
Robinson has previously spoken of the 'utter urgency' for a ceasefire and the need for a political solution alongside humanitarian aid.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland last month, she said Ireland 'need[s] the political approach and we need that to be a turning point.'
She condemned Israel's refusal to apologise for the deaths of over 17,000 children in Gaza, calling the government's actions 'unconscionable' and their policies 'dehumanising' Palestinians.
More than 100 humanitarian groups have echoed these concerns, warning that food, water, and medical supplies remain blocked at Gaza's borders even as starvation spreads.
The Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela, have called for immediate ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, with the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners held arbitrarily by Israel.
The activist group also urged international recognition of the State of Palestine by at least 20 more countries, including EU and G7 members, ahead of a pivotal UN conference in New York next month.
Targeted sanctions against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his security cabinet have also been demanded, alongside suspension of preferential trade agreements with Israel by EU member states.
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