Advocates and officials argue that consequences of Israeli siege are inextricably linked to tackling the climate crisis

The majority of Gaza’s access to resources has been cut off by Israel, leaving the entire populationof about 2.2 million people with crisis levels of food insecurity, research has shown. Energy is also scarce. “Israel controls more than 90% of our energy, so it is not an easy situation,” Thaher said.

For her, the destruction in Gaza is deeply tied to the flow of fossil fuels. She and others have been calling for a fuel embargo on Israel. It is a demand that has featured heavily in protests and press conferences throughout the halls of Cop29. Thaher declined to comment on the protesters’ efforts, saying: “That is the role of civil society.”

The anti-fossil fuel advocacy group Oil Change International recently found that 28% of the crude oil supplied to Israel between 21 October 2023 and 12 July 2024 came from Azerbaijan, the nation hosting this year’s UN climate summit. Butmah asked: “If they’re fuelling the genocide, how can they talk about climate justice?”