Nobel laureates, Fields medallists call for end to hostilities in Gaza

More than 4,400 scientists worldwide have signed a statement urging immediate action to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. The signatories include 14 Nobel laureates, five Fields Medal winners, 20 Breakthrough Prize recipients, 34 Dirac Prize winners, and four Wolf Prize winners.

The statement, issued in personal capacity by the scientists and seen by The Hindu, highlights widespread shortages of food, medicine, and education, and condemns the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure at Israel’s hands in Gaza. It also urges the Government of Israel to end what it describes as a “human-made humanitarian crisis”.

The document also acknowledges the October 2023 attack by Hamas and calls for the release of hostages, but stresses that nothing in the sequence of events justifies what it calls the “horrors currently being visited on a civilian population.” The scientists ask governments and international institutions to use all available means to halt the ongoing crisis.

The statement comes amid reports that more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, including thousands of children. International aid agencies have repeatedly warned of famine-like conditions, lack of medical facilities, and the destruction of universities and schools. Israel’s military operations have been described as preventing Palestinian students from leaving Gaza for international competitions and higher education opportunities.

The appeal by scientists notes that nearly a thousand infants under the age of one are reported among the dead. The signatories argue that the immediate priority must be to ensure access to food, healthcare, and education for civilians, and to end the large-scale loss of life.

The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), held last month in Mumbai, became a focal point of the wider debate. At its international board meeting, representatives of 64 participating countries voted to suspend Israel as a recognised national team in future Olympiads. The decision means that while Israeli students may still participate individually, they will not compete under their national flag from 2026.

Also read: Astronomy Olympiad, held in Mumbai this year, suspends Israel from future editions

Organisers confirmed that Israel had pre-registered for the 18th IOAA but did not send a team this year. The decision followed petitions from scientists who argued that Palestinian students had been blocked from attending, with only one student from Jenin able to participate this year. Letters circulated among participants described the move as necessary to uphold the Olympiad’s founding principles of fairness and international cooperation.

The decision to ban led to sharp divisions within India’s academic community. More than 500 Indian and international scientists had earlier petitioned the IOAA Board to suspend Israel’s national status while preserving the right of Israeli students to compete individually. After the board voted to suspend Israel, more than 300 Indian academics issued a counter-letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also read: Rift among Indian scientists as astronomy, astrophysics Olympiad on bans Israel

In their letter, these academics alleged that a small group of scientists had “hijacked” the Olympiad to advance a political agenda. They named several researchers, including faculty at leading institutes such as TIFR, IISER, and JNU, and called for government action against them. The group argued that the Olympiad should remain a platform focused on youth talent and international collaboration.

The petitioning scientists, however, insisted their action was motivated by moral responsibility rather than political activism. They emphasised that the final decision rested with the IOAA Board and noted similar suspensions in past Olympiads against Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. The dispute has since extended to social media, with both sides trading statements about academic freedom and the limits of activism within scientific fora.