7 January 2009Not enough is being done to protect civilians affected by conflict in the Gaza Strip, the International Committee of the Red Cross' (ICRC) director of operations said today.Pierre Krähenbühl visited the British Red Cross and spoke about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Hours after the Israeli authorities announced that they would halt attacks for three hours a day to help humanitarian organisations carry out their work, Pierre stated: "That won't be sufficient but it will be good news because we will be able to try to get supplies to people."

His colleague Pierre Wettach, the ICRC's head of delegation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, agreed, saying in a statement: "What we need now is a permanent security arrangement for the entire Gaza Strip that would allow ambulances to pick up the wounded. In addition, trucks with urgently needed humanitarian supplies must be able to reach hospitals, shelters and other facilities."

Protecting civilians

In its unique role as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC has reminded all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to spare civilians and those who are not or no longer fighting.

This includes prohibiting direct attacks against civilians, allowing rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief, paying attention to the types of weapons used and their effects on civilians, and doing everything possible to search for, collect and evacuate the wounded and sick.

Pierre Krähenbühl said: "The fact that Gaza is densely populated is not justification for there being more civilian deaths. It is a reason to take even more precautions to prevent civilian casualties."

Access for ambulances

Earlier this afternoon, Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances and the ICRC managed to access several houses in the Zaytun neighbourhood of Gaza City for the first time, even though they had been requesting access from the Israeli Defence Forces since 3 January.

The team found four small children, too weak to stand up, next to their dead mothers among a dozen corpses in one house.

"This is a shocking incident," said Pierre Wettach. "The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded. Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded."

More on this story on the ICRC website

Attack on school shelter

The ICRC has also expressed its shock at the attack on a UN Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) school that was acting as a shelter. Pierre Wettach said: "We too had referred families who were seeking safety to this particular shelter. This is a very serious incident which shows that people cannot be sure of finding safety anywhere right now.

"We take note that UNRWA has called for an independent international investigation into this incident and we reiterate that the parties must do everything possible to spare civilian lives."

Neutrality imperative

The international Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is at the forefront of the humanitarian response, able to act because it is understood to be a neutral and independent humanitarian actor that seeks to protect civilians and meet unmet humanitarian need.

These founding principles underpin the Movement's response. Put simply, the Movement's neutrality is imperative to accessing the victims. 

Delivering humanitarian aid

In Gaza, Palestinian Red Crescent hospitals, medical teams and ambulances are responding to the needs of people around the clock. The ICRC's main operational priority is to support hospitals in Gaza by providing medical supplies, generators and a surgical team.

In Israel, the Magen David Adom (National Society of Israel) is on high alert and is providing first aid and ambulance services.

In Egypt, the National Society is helping get medical supplies into Gaza and evacuating critically wounded people to hospital.

The British Red Cross has contributed £75,000 from its Disaster Fund to the Palestinian Red Crescent's relief effort, offered assistance to Magen David Adom and has six delegates with the ICRC in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The ICRC has regular contact with the relevant authorities concerned to ensure ambulances can evacuate the wounded and that aid (like medical supplies) can get from its warehouses to hospitals. The ICRC has also co-ordinated and escorted municipal workers to repair damaged infrastructure like pipelines and electricity lines.

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Read more about the ICRC's role in conflicts (ICRC's website)

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