Geneva (ICRC) – A surge in attacks across parts of the Middle East is inflicting yet more suffering on civilians and raising fears of wider regional conflict with devastating humanitarian consequences. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is urgently calling for de-escalation and the protection of civilian lives.

In recent weeks a wave of deadly strikes has hit Israel and the Occupied Territories, southern Lebanon and Yemen, while hostilities continue to shatter lives in Gaza, leading to near-daily reports of civilian casualties. These horrific and painful events must be a call to action to prioritize the protection of civilian lives during armed conflict.

“We are gravely concerned by the growing threat of further, widespread conflict across the region and we urge all parties and the wider international community to de-escalate tensions as a matter of urgency,” said Eloi Fillion, ICRC’s acting regional director for the Near and Middle East.

“International humanitarian law (IHL) provides important protections for civilian lives. All parties must respect their obligations under IHL, and the ICRC urges all involved to take concrete steps to limit the impact of hostilities on civilians. We call on the international community to do everything possible to prevent these alarming cycles of violence from spiralling into an all-out regional conflict.”

About the ICRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.