Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is encouraged that a ceasefire has been agreed that would end the fighting and help bring some hope and stability to a region exhausted by conflict.
For months, civilians have borne the brunt of the conflict, with many killed or injured and over a million people displaced from their homes in Lebanon and Israel. The ICRC is working to help those most in need and will support efforts to create conditions where families can return home safely and begin rebuilding their lives.
Working closely with partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the ICRC stands ready to scale up efforts to distribute essential items such as food and hygiene kits; provide medical supplies and technical support to healthcare facilities to ensure they can meet the needs of returnees; and help repair water and electricity infrastructure.
Whilst the agreement brings a glimmer of hope, the region remains tense and the humanitarian situation in Gaza unacceptable. We reiterate our urgent call for the immediate respect of international humanitarian law (IHL); the protection of civilians and civilian objects; and an unhindered and increased flow of humanitarian assistance.
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.
For more information, please contact:
Alyona Synenko: asynenko@icrc.org
Crystal Wells: cwells@icrc.org
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