The Elders group of international stateswomen and statesmen, for the first time, has called the situation in Gaza an “unfolding genocide”, saying Israel’s obstruction of aid was causing a “famine”, Al Jazeera reports.

“Today we express our shock and outrage at Israel’s deliberate obstruction of the entry of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza,” the nongovernmental group of public figures, founded by former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2007, said in a statement after delegates visited border crossings in Egypt.

“What we saw and heard underlines our personal conviction that there is not only an unfolding, human-caused famine in Gaza. There is an unfolding genocide,” it added.

Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, called on Israel to open the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza so aid could be delivered, after visiting the site.

“Many new mothers are unable to feed themselves or their newborn babies adequately, and the health system is collapsing,” she said. “All of this threatens the very survival of an entire generation.”

Clark was joined by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former UN high commissioner for human rights, on the visit.

She said international leaders “have the power and the legal obligation to apply measures to pressure this Israeli government to end its atrocity crimes”.