Red Cross announces 22 dead in bombing near its Gaza office

The International Committee of the Red Cross said 22 people were killed Friday in a shell attack that damaged its Gaza office, surrounded by hundreds of displaced people living in tents.

The ICRC did not specify who fired the “large caliber projectiles”, but in a statement posted on social media platform X, it said the shells “damaged the structure of the ICRC office”.

It said 22 bodies and 45 wounded were taken to a nearby Red Cross field hospital after the bombing, and that there were “reports of additional casualties.”

The territory's health ministry said there were 25 dead and 50 injured in the bombings, which it blamed on Israel. The ministry said the Israeli bombings had “targeted the tents of displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area”, which is around the ICRC base.

An Israeli military spokesperson did not acknowledge any role in the incident but said the incident was “under investigation.”

“An initial investigation suggests that there is no indication that a strike was carried out by the IDF in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone. The incident is being investigated,” the spokesperson said. word. AFP.

“Large caliber projectiles fell a few meters from the office and residences of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday afternoon,” the ICRC said.

“Firing so dangerously close to humanitarian structures, the location of which is known to the parties to the conflict and which clearly bear the Red Cross emblem, endangers the lives of civilians and Red Cross personnel,” he said. added the organism.

“This serious security incident is one of many incidents that have occurred in recent days,” the statement added.

“Stray bullets have already hit ICRC structures. We denounce these incidents which endanger the lives of humanitarians and civilians.

The ICRC is making increasingly desperate appeals to warring parties to respect international law and protect civilians caught in the middle of the conflict which erupted on October 7.

Calling on both sides to do more to protect civilians “no matter which side they are on,” ICRC chief Mirjana Spoljaric said it was “the line between humanity and barbarism.”