Red Cross Chief Calls for Pressure on Israel and Hamas to Improve Situation in Gaza

SadaNews - The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Myriam Spoliarich, stated on Friday that countries must take advantage of the momentum generated by the first phase of the agreement between Israel and Hamas to urgently improve the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Spoliarich noted in her press statement that the committee has been working over the past fifteen weeks with Israel, Hamas, and intermediaries to help return hostages and detainees, as well as the remains of the deceased, to their families, according to what is stipulated in the first phase of the agreement.

She added: These efforts have allowed families to reunite with their loved ones and express their grief appropriately in honor of their deceased.

She continued: These efforts, despite the difficulties they entail, demonstrate the indispensable role of humanitarian action in the long journey toward peace.

She stressed: The international community must now seize every opportunity to intensify efforts to alleviate suffering in Gaza, including easing restrictions on so-called dual-use materials and equipment, such as water pipes and generators, which are essential for rebuilding the basic infrastructure that the residents depend on.

The President of the Committee continued: Many residents of Gaza still live among the rubble without basic services and struggle to obtain heating in harsh winter conditions.

She added: Thousands of families are still waiting for news about their loved ones, and hospitals, homes, schools, and water networks need to be repaired, as unexploded ordnance must be removed.

The international official stated: All states and parties to the conflict have a responsibility to ensure respect for the boundaries and protections stipulated in international humanitarian law. This is crucial to saving lives, restoring human dignity, and establishing the foundations on which lasting peace can be built.