"When hospitals are asked to evacuate, not everyone can leave even if evacuation warnings are given. The wounded, the sick, the elderly, those who are tied to a hospital bed – are not able to simply move. IHL requires not only that warnings are issued but that they are timely and clear, and that people have a safe way to leave. In Gaza right now evacuating a hospital – hospital beds, patients, critical life-support systems – is virtually impossible and everything must be done to protect healthcare facilities and spare them from any harm," Synenko said.
The ICRC received access to hospitals in the northern part of the Gaza Strip and medial workers there are overloaded, the spokeswoman said.
"Our teams on the ground in Gaza have visited hospitals in the northern area. The needs are staggering; staff are stretched to their limit, and supplies are almost spent," Synenko said.
There is a very little chance of fuel misuse in the Gaza Strip, the official added.
"On fuel, we mainly provide this in small quantities to hospitals or other facilities, so the risk of diversion is quite low. We understand the concerns, but we have a humanitarian imperative to follow and not allowing fuel in while it provides a lifeline to hospitals and people, is in our view a problem. It’s also essential that despite all these discussions, we can’t forget our focus should always be on civilians and civilian infrastructure and how we can protect them in times of hostilities," Synenko said.
On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food, and electricity. The escalation of the conflict has resulted in thousands of people killed and injured on both sides.