The Red Cross in Gaza temporarily suspends its work
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The Government Media Office in Gaza expressed its strong condemnation and deep astonishment at the decision of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which carries out humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of war and armed violence, to temporarily suspend its office in Gaza City. The office considered this a dangerous and inhumane step that represents a painful retreat from the humanitarian and ethical role entrusted to the committee.
The office explained in a statement Monday evening that “the decision comes at a time when hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are experiencing unprecedented humanitarian conditions due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression, blockade, starvation, and mass destruction.”
It emphasized that “suspending the work of the Red Cross does not serve defenseless civilians, but rather leaves them without protection or humanitarian support in one of the most dangerous and suffering areas in the world.”
The statement noted that “the International Committee of the Red Cross is a protected entity under international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, and it is its duty to work in conflict zones, not withdraw from them.” It considered that “its decision contradicts the essence of its mandate and the principles of neutrality and independence upon which it was founded.”
He called on the committee to “immediately rescind the decision and return to its humanitarian mission in Gaza City, intensifying its field and relief presence, especially with winter approaching and hundreds of thousands of families lacking shelter, food, water, and healthcare.”
Last Wednesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced a temporary suspension of its operations at its headquarters in Gaza City following the escalation of the Israeli occupation’s aggression, confirming that it had “relocated its staff to its offices in the southern Gaza Strip to ensure their safety and the continuation of humanitarian services.”
