Friday 20 / December / 2024
Geneva: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued an urgent plea for the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip, "trapped in fighting, whether they are trying to evacuate or staying where they are."
In a statement, ICRC said the attacks are underway in densely populated areas and around hospitals which poses a risk to the lives of "the most vulnerable people, like medical staff, patients, the wounded, premature babies, people with disabilities, and the elderly."
"An unbearable human tragedy is unfolding in front of our eyes. People call us day and night, saying they are afraid to open their door for fear of getting killed and pleading to help them reach safety," the head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Gaza William Schomburg said.
The ICRC has expressed grave concern about the precarious and unsafe conditions under which civilians are evacuating. While civilians continue to move from the north to the south of Gaza, a hundred thousand displaced people lack essentials like shelter, food, water, and hygiene. The situation is rapidly approaching a humanitarian disaster. The southern area is not equipped to cater to the massive number of people arriving, and the quantity of humanitarian aid coming in is largely insufficient.
The ICRC reiterates its call for unimpeded and regular flow of humanitarian assistance.
