On Saturday, the head of the International Red Cross criticized Israel’s plan for the mass evacuation of Gaza City before a military takeover, asserting it couldn’t be safely executed.
International Committee of the Red Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric stated, “A safe and dignified mass evacuation of Gaza City is impossible under the current conditions.”
She cautioned, “Such an evacuation would cause a huge population movement that the Gaza Strip cannot accommodate, due to extensive civilian infrastructure damage and severe shortages of essential resources like food, water, shelter, and medical care.”
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Her remarks followed Israel’s military announcement on Friday, labeling Gaza City “a dangerous combat zone” as it prepared to seize the largest city in the occupied Palestinian territory after nearly two years of conflict.
The Israeli military hasn’t urged an immediate evacuation, but the army’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, mentioned on Wednesday that the city’s evacuation was “inevitable”.
Israel faces growing domestic and international pressure to halt its devastating offensive in Gaza, where most of the population has been displaced multiple times and the UN has declared a famine.
The UN estimates that nearly a million people currently reside in the Gaza governorate, which includes Gaza City and its northern surroundings.
Spoljaric said any evacuation order “would be forced upon already traumatized civilians, fearful of future events,” adding, “Many are unable to comply due to starvation, illness, injury, or physical disabilities.”
She emphasized that “all civilians are protected by international humanitarian law (IHL), whether they stay or leave, and must be allowed to return home.”
Spoljaric noted that “IHL mandates that when evacuation orders are issued, Israel must ensure civilians have adequate shelter, hygiene, health, safety, and nutrition, and that families remain together.”
“These conditions cannot currently be met in Gaza,” she stated.
“This makes any evacuation not only impractical but incomprehensible under the current circumstances.”
The ICRC president reiterated the urgent call for a ceasefire, a significant increase in aid, and for Hamas to release its remaining Israeli hostages.
“Any additional escalation will only result in more casualties, destruction, and displacement,” she commented.
