Red Cross: Gaza war has ‘ruptured any sense of a shared humanity’

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross says the war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 massacres, has “ruptured any sense of a shared humanity.”

ICRC head Mirjana Spoljaric calls for an urgent ceasefire and says Israel and Hamas must respect international law and protect civilians caught up in their conflict.

She also says getting a steady, substantial flow of humanitarian aid into the Strip — where the United Nations says more than 90 percent of the population is on the brink of famine — is “only part of the solution.”

“Alleviating the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza starts with a clear will and measures that safeguard civilian life and human dignity, meaning both sides must conduct their military operations in a way that spares the civilians who are caught in the middle,” Spoljaric says.

She also urges Hamas to release the hostages it has been holding since October 7, care for their safety and medical needs, and allow the ICRC to visit them.

War in Gaza erupted with Hamas’s October 7 massacres, which saw thousands of terrorists burst into Israel, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping another 253, mostly civilians, half of whom remain in captivity.