Without restraint, deeper humanitarian crisis threatens West Bank: International Red Cross head

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) – In the West Bank, deadly violence against civilians continues to escalate and without immediate restraint on both sides, the world is heading for an even deeper humanitarian disaster, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned Thursday.

At an international humanitarian conference for the civilian population of Gaza in Paris, Mirjana Spoljaric said humanitarian aid must not become a fig leaf for failing to protect civilian lives.

“In the West Bank, the deadly violence against civilians continues to escalate: these people cannot be forgotten and their needs and protection must be addressed,” Spoljaric also said, pointing to the major population of Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip.

“Without immediate restraint on both sides, we are heading for an even deeper humanitarian disaster and perpetuating cycles of violence.”

The Red Cross chief added: “We cannot accept absolute hostility to the point of dehumanization of the other side.”

She said that with each passing day, the possibility of finding a way back to a dialogue and a political solution dwindles.

“We must try not only to reduce human suffering but also to preserve a minimal space in which to agree on something that is not achieved through military means but through political discussions,” said Spoljaric.

She said the primary responsibility to protect victims of war rests on the parties to the conflict.

These protections must be extended to all civilians, including those who remain in Gaza City, she explained.

She said that northern Gaza is unlikely to be completely emptied of its population – despite Israel urging its people to go south – and not all of its buildings can be considered military targets.

It is urgent to start preparing for the return to the north for the hundreds of thousands of families displaced.

“Respecting international humanitarian law now will have a substantial and positive impact,” said Spoljaric.

Israel has been escalating its military actions, including airstrikes, ground operations, and naval bombardments, particularly in the northern region of the Gaza Strip, where it is advancing with tanks.

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 10,000 civilians have been killed, including over 4,400 children, since Oct. 7 when the conflict began following a cross-border attack by Hamas in Israel that killed over 1,400 people.