IFRC calls for 'safe, unhindered access' to all parts of Gaza Strip

By Muhammed Ikbal Arslan

GENEVA (AA) - Safe and unhindered access is needed in all parts of the Gaza Strip, said Tommaso Della Longa, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

On the eve of World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on May 8, Longa spoke to Anadolu about the situation in Gaza, which has been under intense Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023, and the difficulties encountered in aid activities.

Noting that more trucks have been able to enter the Gaza Strip in recent days, Longa said that this is still inadequate and that humanitarian aid needs to be greatly increased.

The spokesman pointed to the lack of a safe zone in the Gaza Strip as a major problem, saying: "This leads to a lot of complexities when you deliver your humanitarian aid."

"We know, for instance, that entering northern Gaza is almost impossible," Longa said, noting the importance of access for humanitarian aid delivery.

Stating that it is almost impossible for them to operate in the absence of an agreement on "safe and unhindered access" to the Gaza Strip, Longa said that for this reason, humanitarian aid cannot be delivered to hundreds of thousands of people.

The spokesman noted that hospitals are struggling to maintain the needed medicines and medical equipment, stressing that a cessation of conflict is important to ensure a dignified service for all.

"Here we are talking about a system that has almost collapsed," Longa said, noting the impact of the disaster on health services in Gaza.

Of the two Red Crescent hospitals in Gaza, only the one in Khan Younis with an open emergency department is currently able to provide services, the spokesman said, adding: "This means that thousands of people will not get the health support that they need."

Longa said that the lack of humanitarian supplies was causing difficulties for health workers in Gaza, adding: "There is a logistic issue because infrastructures are not anymore there. Every day the situation is worsening."

At least 34,789 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have so far been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip since last October, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Tel Aviv has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

Nearly seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians there.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor in Istanbul