“We are watching a people entirely stripped of its human dignity. It should really shock our collective conscience.”
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become “worse than hell on earth,” urging immediate international action.
ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric, speaking from the organization’s Geneva headquarters, said: “It has become worse… We cannot continue to watch what is happening. It’s surpassing any acceptable, legal, moral, and humane standard.”
She condemned the scale of destruction and suffering in Gaza, adding, “We are watching a people entirely stripped of its human dignity. It should really shock our collective conscience.”
While acknowledging Israel’s right to self-defence, Spoljaric said: “Every mother has a right to see her children return. There is no excuse for hostage-taking… and no excuse for depriving children from their access to food, health, and security.”
She emphasized that “neither party is allowed to break the rules,” referencing violations of the Geneva Conventions. “A child in Gaza has exactly the same protections… as a child in Israel.”
With over 54,000 reported Palestinian deaths since October 2023, the ICRC’s Rafah hospital is overwhelmed. “Nowhere is safe in Gaza,” Spoljaric warned. “It defies humanity. It will haunt us.”