Red Cross suspends Gaza City operations amid escalating fighting

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it has been forced to suspend its activities in Gaza City and move staff to the south of the enclave due to intensifying hostilities.

In a statement posted on X, the organisation said: “The intensification of military operations in Gaza City has forced us to temporarily suspend operations at our office in Gaza City and relocate staff to ICRC offices in southern Gaza to ensure their safety and operational continuity.”

The ICRC said tens of thousands of civilians still in Gaza City were enduring “harrowing humanitarian conditions.”

It added that its teams would continue supporting civilians “whenever circumstances allow” from its offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, which remain fully operational.

The organisation stressed that its staff were “committed to returning to Gaza City as soon as conditions allow.”

“Lives can still be saved today. A cessation of hostilities is imperative and urgent,” the ICRC wrote.

By Aghakazim Guliyev