According to BBC News report: The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, has described Gaza as “hell on earth,” painting a grim picture of suffering and devastation as Israel’s military offensive continues. Her warning came the same day the UN raised deep concerns that conditions in Gaza may soon make it impossible for Palestinians to survive there at all.
The ICRC, which oversees the Geneva Conventions — the global rules that govern wartime conduct — typically shares its concerns quietly with governments. But this time, Ms. Spoljaric went public, saying what’s happening in Gaza is an “extreme hollowing out” of international law.
Since Israel renewed its campaign on March 18, over 1,500 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Israel has issued sweeping evacuation orders, pushing nearly 400,000 people from their homes. A strict blockade on food, medicine, and all supplies has been in place since March 2.
Israel insists it is following international law. Officials say Hamas hides among civilians, making unintended casualties difficult to avoid. They claim enough aid is available in Gaza, and their actions are meant to pressure Hamas to release hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack.
Yet the Geneva Conventions are clear: occupying powers must provide food and medical care, protect hospitals and staff, and avoid targeting civilians or forcing mass evacuations. Ms. Spoljaric reminded the world that “no state is exempt” from these laws — not even during complex conflicts.
The suffering, she said, is staggering. Civilians have been displaced repeatedly, their homes destroyed, and many have died. Of 36 recent airstrikes reviewed by the UN, every casualty was a woman or child.
Israel denies any accusation of genocide but says it will investigate claims such as the one in Khan Younis, where an entire family was reportedly killed.
UN officials say the scale and nature of Israel’s actions risk creating unlivable conditions for Palestinians. Bombings have even struck areas like al-Mawasi, where civilians were told to shelter.
Ms. Spoljaric called for a new ceasefire, saying previous pauses allowed the Red Cross to rescue Israeli hostages. She warned of a growing “dehumanization” of war — a silence from the world as atrocities unfold.
“The suffering in Gaza,” she said, “will haunt us for generations.”
