The humanitarian situation for displaced individuals in Gaza is “dire and inhumane,” according to Hisham Mahna, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
He noted that the displaced cannot access basic living necessities and that thousands of injured people are without essential healthcare.
In an interview with Al-Ekhbariya, a Saudi news channel, Mahna emphasized that “the lives of ICRC staff are not more valuable than the thousands of civilians who have been victims of this war in Gaza for the past nine months.”
He stressed the urgent need to adhere to international humanitarian law and the principles that mandate taking necessary precautions before launching attacks.
Regarding the difficulties in providing humanitarian needs to the displaced in Rafah, Mahna stated, “The primary obstacles to humanitarian work are the ongoing hostilities, widespread fighting in various areas, and the closure of the Rafah border crossing.”
He expressed shock at the vast scale of humanitarian needs and civilian casualties, highlighting that Gaza has suffered from severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods imposed by Israel for 16 years before October 7 of last year.
