Red Cross: Evacuation of Gaza City “Unworkable and Inconceivable

Kokcha News Agency: ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger has condemned Israel’s decision to order the full evacuation of Gaza City, calling it “unworkable and inconceivable” under the current conditions. Egger emphasized that the mass evacuation of civilians from Gaza City would be impossible to carry out safely and with dignity, given the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and severe shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical care.

Egger stated, “Considering the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the extreme shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical care, such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip could handle.” She also stressed that Israel’s evacuation demands are not being heeded by Gazan civilians, who are already traumatized by prolonged attacks and terrified of what might come next.

The ICRC president called for the protection of all civilians under international humanitarian law and for their right to return to their homes. She highlighted that Israel has not provided for the basic needs of these civilians, including shelter, hygiene, health, safety, and nutrition, making any evacuation not only unworkable but also incomprehensible.

Egger also urged for an immediate ceasefire, warning that every minute without one results in further loss of life. She called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza on a scale that meets the needs of the population.

**Background:**
The Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan on August 8 to occupy Gaza City, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that the goal is to fully occupy the Gaza Strip. Reports in the Israeli media suggest that the military has received orders to occupy the rest of Gaza, though this step is not expected to be implemented before September.

According to the plan, approximately 1 million Palestinians would be displaced to the south in the first phase, with the city being besieged and then occupied after intense attacks. The second phase involves the occupation of refugee camps in the largely devastated central Gaza.

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip from 1967 to 2005, and today, the area, home to around 2.3 million Palestinians, remains under a severe blockade that has lasted for 18 years.