Red Cross spokesperson: ‘Death and destruction for Palestinians in Gaza continues every day’

Death and destruction continue to affect Palestinians in Gaza every day despite a decrease in the intensity of hostilities since last year’s ceasefire, according to Pat Griffiths, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“Let’s be clear: death and destruction for Palestinians in Gaza continues every day. The suffering is real, present and here every day – even when Gaza isn’t in the headlines,” Griffiths told Anadolu Agency.

“Life for Palestinians here is disrupted in ways that are hard to imagine. Children go without education. People go without access to specialist or chronic medical care. Families have lost homes, livelihoods – many are still missing loved ones, not knowing if they are detained or deceased,” he said.

Griffiths, who is currently in Gaza City on a weeklong visit, said urgent humanitarian needs remain across the enclave, particularly for food, water, shelter and health care.

“At the ICRC, we adapt our humanitarian response to changing needs and conflict dynamics. But make no mistake: urgent humanitarian needs remain. In terms of food, water, shelter, health, family connection – so much more needs to be done,” she said.

Griffiths said humanitarian access remains one of the biggest challenges facing ICRC teams working in Gaza.

“To help people in need, we need to be able to reach them – wherever they are, including in places of detention. That’s not always possible,” he said.

She said access can be restricted because of security concerns or because those with the authority to grant access do not do so.

“Granting humanitarian access is something that is an obligation for parties to armed conflict and occupying powers. It’s also something this is outside our control as humanitarians,” he said.

“And it’s why working towards improving our humanitarian access is a continuous conversation with those who have influence over it.”

Griffiths added that the problem extends beyond reaching people to ensuring that essential supplies can enter Gaza.

“People still desperately need better access to quality and nutritious food. Hospitals and primary healthcare centres still face shortages of medicines and medical items,” he said.

“Heavy machinery and materials that could be used to safely clear rubble, search for human remains or repair broken water and wastewater systems face restrictions on entry.”

He also pointed to shortages of fuel and engine oil needed to keep generators operating.

“Everyone in Gaza faces challenges in terms of sustained access to electricity, relying on generators that are themselves reliant on enough fuel and engine oil being able to enter so they can function. And there’s not enough fuel and engine oil entering.”

According to Griffiths, shortages are also driving up prices at a time when many displaced Palestinians have lost their homes and livelihoods.

“These shortages in Gaza disrupt essential services and drive prices up. And when people are displaced and lose their homes – they also lose their livelihoods. So, cash is scarce, and people can’t afford what might be available on the market.”

“All of these things make life harder for Palestinians in Gaza right now. It’s why we continue to call for the unrestricted entry and access to those who need it of essential food, goods, medicines and other items.”

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She said the ICRC continues to call for international humanitarian law to be upheld in its dialogue with Israeli authorities.

“That’s why, in our dialogue with Israeli authorities, we continue to call for international humanitarian law, which seeks to reduce the suffering of civilians in times of armed conflict, to be upheld.”

“It’s why we continue to call for the political will that is necessary to seek dialogue and sustainable solutions to improve the lives of Palestinians in Gaza. Too many lives are at stake for anything less.”

Impossible choice between tents and unsafe damaged buildings

Griffiths said thousands of Palestinians in Gaza continue to live in tents after being displaced or losing their homes, with many having been forced to move multiple times.

After three years of living in tents through extreme heat and cold, some families are returning to damaged buildings despite the risk of collapse because they have few alternatives.

She recalled the recent collapse of a damaged building in Gaza City where more than 100 people were sheltering. Many were rescued, but others, including children, were killed.

“Choosing between life in a tent … or a building that is damaged and at risk of collapse, just to have a roof over one’s head, is not a choice any family should have to make,” she said.

With winter approaching, Griffiths warned that heavy rain and winds could increase the risk of further collapses and called for heavy machinery to clear rubble and for durable shelter materials to enter Gaza.

‘The desire for a normal life’

Despite the destruction and hardship, Griffiths said Palestinians in Gaza continue to express “the desire for a normal life” — to go to school, see friends, work, be with family and return home.

He acknowledged that the ceasefire in October last year reduced the intensity of hostilities and allowed more food and goods into Gaza, but said the humanitarian crisis remains severe.

“Death and destruction for Palestinians in Gaza continues every day,” he said, warning that suffering persists even when Gaza is no longer in the headlines.

Griffiths said Palestinians’ “dreams and hopes” for the future are often missing from international coverage. He also highlighted the kindness and solidarity he has witnessed among people helping their families, communities and even strangers despite years of hardship.

He said the desire for a dignified, normal life reflects the purpose of international humanitarian law: protecting civilians and reducing suffering during conflict.

A Palestinian journalist’s poem about freedom

Griffiths recalled a meeting with a Palestinian journalist during a previous visit to Gaza that has remained with her.

“When I was last in Gaza, I met a Palestinian journalist who read to me a poem that he had written,” she said.

“The poem was about a bird that spread its wings and flew. After he finished reading the poem, the journalist told me that he was the bird. He told me that all he wanted to do was to experience the freedom of being able to spread his wings.”

“He was telling me that he wanted to live a life of dignity, with choice and agency.”

Griffiths said the journalist’s aspirations reflected those of many Palestinians in Gaza.

“So many people in Gaza are like him. They have dreams and hopes and fears for their future. They want to spread their wings and live, but they can’t.”