GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center )The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on Wednesday that it is temporarily suspending its humanitarian operations in Gaza City and relocating its staff to the south due to the intensifying Israeli offensive on the besieged city.
In an official press release, the ICRC said that it was “forced” to suspend its humanitarian activities in Gaza City. The organization added that it will continue its efforts to support civilians in Gaza whenever circumstances allow, operating through its fully functional offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah.
The statement emphasized that this includes “delivering medical supplies to the few remaining health facilities in Gaza City and doing our utmost to facilitate the movement of first responders.” It added that the ICRC’s field hospital in Rafah “will remain a lifeline for the many wounded pouring in.”
Earlier this year, the ICRC warned that humanitarian operations in Gaza were “on the brink of total collapse”, a reality now unfolding.
Similarly, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also announced on Friday that it had suspended its operations in Gaza City due to the escalating Israeli attacks.
In a statement at the time, MSF’s Emergency Coordinator, Jacob Grange, said, “We had no choice but to suspend our activities after Israeli forces surrounded our clinics.” He stressed, “This is the last thing we wanted, considering the enormous humanitarian needs in Gaza City.”
The ICRC’s statement also underscored that “civilians in Gaza City are being killed, forcibly displaced, and made to endure unbearable conditions.” First responders, including the Palestinian Red Crescent and Palestinian Civil Defense, “have been working tirelessly to provide relief,” but their movements and ability to safely reach civilians remain severely restricted.
For weeks, the Israeli military has been relentlessly bombing Gaza City, leveling residential buildings in a bid to force Palestinian residents to flee, paving the way for full occupation.
