Gaza Humanitarian Crisis: IFRC Spokesperson on Attacks Against Aid Workers

Attack on Palestinian Medics

• 💔 The bodies of eight Palestine Red Crescent medics and other rescue workers, who were targeted by Israeli forces over a week ago, have been recovered from a mass grave in southern Gaza.
• ❓ A ninth colleague remains unaccounted for, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is still seeking information about his whereabouts.
• 🚨 The incident marks the single most deadly attack on Red Cross/Red Crescent workers since 2017.

Disregard for Humanitarian Law

• ⚠️ IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa states that humanitarian workers in Gaza are repeatedly not respected and that rules of war are being disregarded.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The individuals lost are not just aid workers but also fathers, friends, brothers, and children who are part of the community they serve.
• 📉 The destruction of ambulances and the killing of humanitarian workers weaken entire communities, preventing them from receiving necessary support, especially in the catastrophic situation in Gaza.

Extreme Danger for Aid Workers

• 📈 Since the start of the conflict, 30 Palestine Red Crescent colleagues have been lost, the majority in Gaza.
• 💥 The retrieval of eight bodies is a clear sign of how extremely dangerous it is for those working on the ground.
• 🛡️ There is a concerning trend of disregarding the protection that Red Cross/Red Crescent emblems should signify for workers, patients, and civilians.

Collapsing Healthcare System

• 🏥 Half of the ambulances in Palestine are no longer operational, with many damaged by the war and others lacking fuel.
• ⛽ Fuel is not entering Gaza, exacerbating the difficulties for the medical system to function.
• 🆘 Without essential supplies like medicine, medical equipment, and fuel, the healthcare system in Gaza is at risk of collapsing soon.

Ongoing Humanitarian Catastrophe

• 🌍 The situation in Gaza is described as catastrophic, with 18 months of conflict leading to people being displaced multiple times overnight.
• 🚫 There has been a prolonged period without any entry of humanitarian aid, leading to severe difficulties with food, water, and health services.
• 🗣️ The IFRC has been repeating the same urgent messages for 18 months, highlighting the unacceptable and ongoing humanitarian crisis.