By V.E.K.Madhushani, Jadetimes News
Humanitarian Organization Highlights Civilian Casualties Amid Ongoing Conflict
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that its offices in Gaza were damaged by shelling, resulting in the deaths of 22 people who had sought shelter around its compound. According to an ICRC statement, "Heavy calibre projectiles landed within metres of the office and residences of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday afternoon."
The ICRC emphasized the responsibility of all parties to take precautions to avoid harm to civilians and humanitarian facilities. An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson stated that initial inquiries suggested there was "no indication" that Israel had carried out a strike in the area, but noted that the incident was "under review."
The ICRC described the extent of the damage, "The strike damaged the structure of the ICRC office, which is surrounded by hundreds of displaced civilians living in tents, including many of our Palestinian colleagues. This incident caused a mass casualty influx at the nearby Red Cross Field Hospital, with the hospital receiving 22 killed and 45 injured, with reports of additional casualties." The organization called the event a "grave security incident," one of several in recent days, and condemned actions that put the lives of humanitarians and civilians at risk.
The health ministry in Gaza, run by Hamas, reported different figures, stating that 25 people had been killed and 50 injured in the shelling, which it attributed to Israel.
This incident is part of a broader conflict that began on October 7, when the Israeli military launched a campaign against the Palestinian armed group in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel. That attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and 251 people being taken hostage. According to the health ministry in Gaza, more than 37,390 people have been killed in the territory since then. While the ministry's figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants, it reported that by the end of April, 14,680 children, women, and elderly people were among the dead.
In another significant development, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned that escalating hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah risk triggering a catastrophe for the region and beyond. He criticized the increasingly warlike rhetoric from both sides and called for immediate de escalation, warning that Lebanon could become "another Gaza." The past months have seen a series of retaliatory cross border strikes between Israel and Hezbollah. The Iran backed group claims it is fighting Israel to support its ally, Hamas, in Gaza.