(24 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++
++BEGINS AND ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE++
ASSOCIATED PRESS (via video call)
Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip – 23 March 2025
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Hisham Mhanna, ICRC spokesperson in Gaza Strip:
“Today an office of International Committee of the Red Cross in Rafah was damaged by an explosive projectile, despite being clearly marked and well known for all parties. The International Committee of the Red Cross staff have been working in that building since October 2023 overseeing humanitarian operations and activities that benefit hundreds of thousands of civilians throughout the period of the conflict. Fortunately no staff were injured or killed in this incident but this has a direct impact on our humanitarian operations in Gaza Strip, specifically in Rafah."
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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Hisham Mhanna, ICRC spokesperson in Gaza Strip:
“The priority now is not to point fingers publicly. We have been engaged since the incident took place with parties to the conflict and we are focused on resuming our humanitarian activities and reach as many civilians who need us possible, given all the constraints that are included within this security situation, the restrictions on the access or introduction of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip, especially that we have been witnessing a closure, non-stop closures of the Kerem Shalom crossing since two weeks now."
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Hisham Mhanna, ICRC spokesperson in Gaza Strip:
“There’s no safe place in Gaza now, especially with the escalation of the violence, and of course this has been a very much serious incident that could simply result in a very tragic loss or hurt amongst our staff members who are working tirelessly in trying to help civilians in need."
++BLACK FRAMES++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Hisham Mhanna, ICRC spokesperson in Gaza Strip:
“The escalation of hostilities in Gaza over the past week has had significant humanitarian impacts, with hundreds of civilians killed, injured. Many of them were still buried under the rubble or could not be retrieved from the areas of fighting into hospitals. New evacuation orders are imposed, leaving civilians with worries and fear, without the information of where the safe areas are."
++BLACK FRAMES++
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Hisham Mhanna, ICRC spokesperson in Gaza Strip:
“Humanitarian workers must be protected and respected. Their sole mission is to help alleviate the suffering of civilians caused by armed conflicts. They are not part of the fighting and they should never be impacted by the hostilities. This is an obligation under humanitarian law for parties to the conflict to carry to the arms carriers in the field."
++BLACK FRAMES++
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hisham Mhanna, ICRC spokesperson in Gaza Strip:
“We also witnessed a very close by explosions that resulted in casualties among the civilians who are displaced amongst our premises, in Rafah especially, and that was before the ceasefire, which brings back the point of the importance of strengthening all the efforts that would lead to a political solution. That it’s proven the only possible way to prevent the killing and to preserve the human lives, and the international community, the whole world cannot continue to depend on the humanitarian solution as if it’s the only solution, no, there are other solutions, political solutions, that could help prevent further human loss."
++ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
The Israeli military, which has been advancing into Rafah in recent days, had no immediate comment on the strike.
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