The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement on Wednesday that, due to the intensification of Israel's military operations in Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, the organization has temporarily closed its local office and relocated staff to other offices in the southern Gaza Strip to ensure their safety.
The statement said that civilians are being killed, forcibly displaced and made to endure dire conditions. First responders, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Civil Defense, have been working relentlessly to provide relief, "but their movement and ability to safely reach the civilian population has been severely constrained."
According to the statement, the ICRC will continue to support civilians in Gaza City through its offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah whenever circumstances allow, and will return to Gaza City as soon as the situation improves.
The statement called for an immediate ceasefire and urged Israel to ensure that the basic needs of civilians are met. It stressed that medical and rescue personnel and their facilities must be respected and protected, and that humanitarian aid should be allowed to pass rapidly and without obstruction.
ICRC closes Gaza City office amid escalating Israeli military operations
