Israel and the occupied territories: Civilian suffering in Gaza on a devastating scale after two years of conflict
Two years of intense hostilities have had a profound impact on Gaza and its population, with tens of thousands of civilians killed, injured or missing. Countless more are living in dire conditions amid the rubble or in overcrowded camps.
The devastating scale of destruction means that most Gazans have lost loved ones, their homes or their livelihoods – in some cases all three. With over 80 per cent of the population affected by evacuation orders, civilians are being pushed into ever smaller areas where access to basic needs such as food, water and medicine are severely limited. Digging through debris for a mattress to salvage, scrambling for food handouts and waiting hours in line to use a latrine have become the new normal, depriving people of any shred of dignity.
The roads to southern Gaza are congested and damaged, with very few working vehicles available to transport tens of thousands of people out of Gaza City. When they arrive, many people are left to sleep along the roads until they can find shelter. There isn’t enough space or tents to house the people arriving from the north.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has been working together with the Palestine Red Crescent Society and other humanitarian partners to provide life-saving aid over the past two years. This includes delivering medicine to hospitals, providing supplies to neighbourhood baking facilities, and repairing damage water and sewage systems. The ICRC also runs one of the last fully functioning medical facilities, the Rafah Field Hospital, which continues to receive streams of wounded and sick patients.
All too often the work of humanitarians comes at great personal cost, however. Over 30 staff and volunteers from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have been killed since October 2023. The ICRC was recently forced to temporarily suspend its office in Gaza City and relocate staff to its offices in southern Gaza to ensure staff safety and operational continuity.
A cessation of hostilities is imperative and urgent. International humanitarian law must be respected. This includes protecting civilians, whether they stay in Gaza City or leave. Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to ensure their basic needs are met. Medical personnel, units and means of transport, as well as civil defence personnel must be respected and protected. The rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance must be allowed and facilitated across the Gaza Strip.
