Special Guest Dr Jonathan Bowman Co-Author of Aiding Who? Humanitarian Aid and the Continuation of War by Other Means

This episode of the Tel Aviv Diary features host Marc Schulman interviewing Dr. Jonathan Boxman, a biologist and epidemiologist who conducted independent research on humanitarian aid effectiveness together with Prof. Netta Barak-Corren. The discussion centers on Boxman's findings from a study that began earlier in 2025, which aimed to identify successful humanitarian aid programs but ultimately found that none truly work as intended.Key findings discussed:* Aid diversion is widespread: In most conflict zones, only 10-15% of humanitarian aid actually reaches its intended recipients, with the rest being stolen, diverted, or used to enrich armed groups and warlords* The four humanitarian principles (humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence) are often counterproductive in practice, as they prevent effective monitoring and security measures* Case studies include Somalia (where aid has perpetuated a 40+ year conflict), Ethiopia (where aid stoppage actually improved conditions), and other conflict zones where aid becomes the primary economy that armed groups can exploitGaza-specific analysis: Boxman argues that Gaza represents a particularly challenging case where Hamas has become entirely dependent on taxing humanitarian aid since other funding sources have been cut off. He estimates that 88% of aid entering Gaza between May-August 2024 never reached UN warehouses.Proposed solutions:* Abandon unconditional aid delivery and use incentive-based approaches* Work with "least worst" local actors rather than maintaining strict neutrality* Accept that effective aid delivery requires armed security and monitoring* For Gaza specifically: establish Israeli-controlled local administrations in secured areas while continuing to allow monitored aid in other regionsThe conversation highlights the fundamental tension between humanitarian ideals and practical realities in conflict zones, suggesting that current international humanitarian frameworks are systemically flawed and unsustainable. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marcschulman.substack.com/subscribe