https://arab.news/pvg55
- Palestinians are being stripped of their human dignity, Mirjana Spoljaric tells BBC
- She calls on world leaders to take action to bring the conflict to an end
LONDON: The situation in Gaza has become 鈥渨orse than hell on earth,鈥� the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross has said.
鈥淗umanity is failing in Gaza,鈥� Mirjana Spoljaric told the BBC in an interview broadcast on Wednesday. 鈥淲e cannot continue to watch what is happening.鈥�
The ICRC, a global organization assisting people affected by conflict, has about 300 staff in Gaza.
It runs a field hospital in Rafah that was swamped with casualties in recent days after witnesses described Israeli troops opening fire on crowds trying to access food aid.
Spoljaric said that the situation in the territory was 鈥渟urpassing any acceptable legal, moral and humane standard.鈥�
鈥淭he fact that we are watching a people being entirely stripped of its human dignity should really shock our collective conscience.鈥�
She called on world leaders to do more to bring the conflict to an end because the consequences would haunt them and 鈥渞each their doorsteps.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 devastating military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 54,000 people since October 2023, mostly women and children.
The offensive was launched after a Hamas-led attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and seized dozens of hostages.
Spoljaric said that while every state had a right to defend itself, there could be 鈥渘o excuse for depriving children from their access to food, health and security.鈥�
She added: 鈥淭here are rules in the conduct of hostilities that every party to every conflict has to respect.鈥�
International condemnation of Israel has increased in recent weeks after its military pushed to take full control of Gaza after severing all food and aid supplies to the territory鈥檚 population.
Late last month, some aid deliveries resumed after Israel set up a new aid system that bypassed the UN and is now run by a newly formed US organization.
Operations at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation鈥檚 three aid delivery sites were paused on Wednesday after dozens of Palestinians were killed by gunfire near one of the sites.