Following remarks from Hamas official Osama Hamdan urging the move a day earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is now calling for aid access to Gaza by way of an agreement between Hamas and Israel.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross is prepared and ready to bring in medicine, food and family news for the hostages in Gaza. To do this, an agreement must be reached between Israel and Hamas. While the ICRC is in constant dialogue with all parties, the ICRC is not involved in any negotiations,” the statement released on Tuesday said.
“ICRC teams are also prepared to scale-up the delivery of life-saving aid safely to civilians in desperate need across the Gaza Strip. A rapid and unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance must be allowed and facilitated. With acute food shortages worsening by the day, civilians in Gaza must have immediate and sustained access to food, along with safe water, medical and hygiene supplies, and other essentials needed to survive and live in dignity,” the statement continued.
“The ICRC also stands ready to visit Palestinian detainees in Israeli places of detention”.
ICRC President President Mirjana Spoljaric has been speaking with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to try to secure humanitarian access, the statement also noted.
