Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Worsens as Hospital Supplies Dwindle, Red Cross Warns

Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric described Gaza on Friday as “hell on earth,” warning that its field hospital will exhaust supplies within two weeks, Anadolu Agency reported. No humanitarian aid has entered the enclave since Israel blocked aid trucks on March 2, following the collapse of a truce. Israel resumed its military campaign on March 18.

Spoljaric highlighted severe shortages of water, electricity, and food, with 22 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals minimally functional. The World Health Organization reported critical shortages of antibiotics and blood bags.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated 25,000 aid trucks entered Gaza during the ceasefire but accused Hamas of using aid to rebuild its war machine, a claim Hamas denies.

The Red Cross also raised safety concerns for humanitarian operations, citing the discovery of 15 aid workers’ bodies in a mass grave in March. The UN and Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of the killings, while Israel claimed the incident occurred due to a perceived threat.

Over 50,800 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began in October 2023.