The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) described the situation in Gaza as “hell on earth” on Friday, warning that the organization’s field hospital in the region will run out of essential supplies within two weeks due to the ongoing blockade.
“We are now finding ourselves in a situation that I have to describe as hell on earth,” Mirjana Spoljaric said during an interview at ICRC’s Geneva headquarters. “People don’t have access to water, electricity, or food in many parts.”
Since Israel blocked aid trucks from entering Gaza on March 2, no new humanitarian supplies have reached the area. Talks aimed at negotiating the next phase of a fragile ceasefire have stalled, and Israel resumed its military offensive on March 18.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that 25,000 aid trucks entered Gaza during the previous ceasefire, alleging that Hamas used these supplies to bolster its military capabilities, a claim that Hamas has denied.
Spoljaric stressed that supplies were running critically low. “For six weeks, nothing has come in, so we will, in a couple of weeks’ time, run out of supplies we need to keep the hospital going,” she said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also reported shortages of critical medical supplies, including antibiotics and blood bags. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn of WHO confirmed that 22 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are now only minimally functional.
The Red Cross president further highlighted the dangers faced by humanitarian workers. “It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it’s especially dangerous for us to operate,” Spoljaric remarked.
In March, the bodies of 15 emergency and aid workers, including eight members of the Palestinian Red Crescent, were found in a mass grave in southern Gaza. Both the U.N. and the Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of being responsible for the deaths, although the Israeli military has stated that its initial investigation indicated the incident occurred due to perceived threats from Hamas militants in the area.
Spoljaric called for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The conflict, which began in October 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took roughly 250 hostages in an assault on Israel, has since resulted in the deaths of over 50,800 Palestinians, with much of Gaza reduced to rubble.