GAZA – The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has delivered one of the most damning assessments yet of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, declaring the territory “worse than hell on Earth” in an interview with the BBC.
Mirjana Spoljaric said Palestinians have been “stripped of human dignity” and warned that international humanitarian law is being “hollowed out” as the war in Gaza enters its eighth month with no ceasefire in sight.
Her remarks come as conditions in the besieged strip continue to deteriorate, with major aid distribution centres forced to suspend operations Wednesday following warnings from the Israeli military that roads leading to them would now be considered “combat zones.”
Local health officials backed by Hamas say at least 27 Palestinians were killed near an aid centre on Tuesday, the third deadly incident this week involving civilians gathered at sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops opened fire after “suspects” deviated from designated access routes and moved toward soldiers.
Meanwhile, 12 more people were reported killed in an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced families in Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency and a hospital official in the area.
The BBC and other international media remain barred from entering Gaza independently by the Israeli authorities, limiting efforts to verify reports from inside the territory.
UK Government Voices Growing Concern
In London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned recent Israeli actions in Gaza as “intolerable” and “appalling” during a session in the House of Commons.
“We have strongly opposed the expansion of military operations and settler violence, and the blocking of humanitarian aid,” Starmer said, adding that further measures against Israel, including potential sanctions, are under consideration.
The Labour leader called for an immediate return to a ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza, and a drastic scale-up of humanitarian assistance.
“We desperately need more aid at speed and at volume into Gaza, because it’s an appalling and intolerable situation,” he said.
Mounting Civilian Toll
The latest surge in violence around aid points has raised alarm over the safety of civilians seeking food and medicine.
Humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned that basic survival in Gaza is becoming increasingly impossible, with famine looming and hospitals barely operational.
Spoljaric said the failure to uphold international law risks setting a dangerous precedent.
“If this erosion continues, no one will be protected in future conflicts,” she told the BBC.
