Red Cross President: The situation in Gaza is hell on earth

GAZA, April 13 (YPA) – Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), described the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as “hell on earth” and warned that supplies at the organization’s field hospital would run out within two weeks.

“We now find ourselves in a situation I would have to describe as hell on earth, people have no access to water, electricity, or food in many areas,” she told Reuters from the ICRC’s Geneva headquarters.

It is worth noting that no humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza since Israeli forces blocked trucks on March 2 as talks on the next phase of a now-defunct ceasefire stalled and Israeli forces resumed their military offensive on March 18.

The head of the Red Cross also expressed concern about the safety of humanitarian operations

“It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it is especially dangerous for our work,” Spoljaric said.

Last month, the bodies of 15 paramedics and emergency workers, including eight from the Palestinian Red Crescent, were found in a mass grave in the southern Gaza Strip, whereas the United Nations and the Red Crescent accused the Israeli occupation forces of killing them.

Spoljaric also called for an immediate ceasefire in order to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas and to address the dire humanitarian problems in the Strip.