Statement by heads of OCHA, UNICEF, UNOPS, UNRWA, WFP and WHO

7 April 2025

Statement

Reading time: 1 min (336 words)

Geneva, 14 October 2023 – The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is appalled to see the human misery that has unfolded over the last week in Israel and Gaza. Civilians - including women and children, the elderly, and the wounded and sick - are currently paying the highest price.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is horrified and dismayed by the tragic events that unfolded at the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in North Gaza on the evening of 17 October 2023. Hospitals are places of help and refuge; they must be protected at all costs. This is not just a moral obligation but also a legal imperative. Hospitals should be sanctuaries for all, where healthcare workers and civilians alike can seek safety and care.

This article was last updated on 11 January, 2024

As the escalation of hostilities in Israel and Palestine enters its ­­fourth ­­month, the conflict continues to take the lives of civilians, disrupt the delivery of life-saving medical care, interrupt critical services that people rely on to survive, and leave families grieving the loss of loved ones. 

A month since the onset of violence across Israel and Palestine, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) calls for safe and unhindered access across the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages seized during the conflict. It also calls upon the diplomatic community to accelerate efforts towards a longer-term peace agreement and a massive scaling up of humanitarian assistance, including fuel. 

‘To be completely honest, I am afraid … All of these challenges take a toll on our psychological well-being. Nevertheless, we persist.’

Words by Joe Baaklini, IFRC Communications Officer

Ever since armed violence erupted in Israel and the Gaza Strip on October 7, the work of emergency service crews has continued non-stop, often in the most harrowing of circumstances.

Geneva/Beirut, 5 January 2024 

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is appalled by the continuous shelling of the Al-Amal Hospital and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) headquarters in Khan Yunis. These strikes have led to the loss of innocent civilian lives, including a five-day old infant, and displaced thousands who were taking shelter at the hospital.

Geneva, 02 February 2024: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is shocked and deeply saddened by the killing of three members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the Gaza Strip - one staff member and one volunteer on 31 January 2024 and one staff member on 2 February 2024.  

For people caught inside a crisis, even the near future is extremely uncertain. People live each day, each minute, not knowing whether they will make it to the next. Often that's also the case for people whose job is to help and protect others.

The people next door: An ongoing series about people helping others even as they face the very same struggles

Every day, Amr would normally wake up knowing he first must secure food and water for himself and his family. Then, he heads to work.

In her own words, Palestinian Red Crescent spokesperson Nebal Farsakh says female colleagues are ‘perfect examples of women who shatter stereotypyes’.

As the media officer and spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Nebal Farsakh has been the voice of the Palestine Red Crescent during one of its most difficult and darkest times.