The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited Qatar on Sunday to discuss the desperate humanitarian situation in relation to the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Mirjana Spoljaric met with Ismael Haniyëh, chair of Hamas’ Political Bureau, and separately with authorities of the state of Qatar.
The ICRC appeals for the urgent protection of all victims in the conflict and underscores the need for sustained humanitarian relief given the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. People in Gaza now face an alarming lack of food, do not have access to enough safe water, and far too many can’t access the medical care that they need. As soon as conditions allow, the ICRC is prepared to significantly step up its assistance.
The ICRC continues to call for the immediate release of all hostages. We do not take part in negotiations, but we are ready to facilitate the implementation of humanitarian aspects of any agreement by the parties to the conflict, including any further release of hostages.
The visit by President Spoljaric is part of ICRC’s direct discussions with all sides in the conflict and other members of the international community in the region and beyond to improve respect for international humanitarian law and relieve the humanitarian suffering of people in Gaza and Israel.
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
