The situation in Gaza is deteriorating hour by hour, and the collapse has commenced. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins, with hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced. Basic necessities such as clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, and access to food are nonexistent.
The humanitarian crisis is extremely dire, and the suffering of the people is unbearable.
This grim assessment comes from Robert Mardini, the Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), describing the current state of affairs in Gaza.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Mardini emphasized that the tragedy unfolding in Gaza today—marked by violence, killing, displacement, and suffering—differs significantly from any previous conflicts between the involved parties.
He pointed out the immense difficulty humanitarian organizations face in providing assistance under these challenging circumstances.
Mardini also touched upon the close collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works (KSRelief), particularly in the Gaza crisis.
He expressed gratitude for the specific support extended to the ICRC and the aid sent by the Kingdom to Palestinian civilians through the Rafah crossing.
Mardini, who has held his position since March 2020, emphasized that the death of civilians is the responsibility of the conflicting parties according to international humanitarian law.
He expressed regret over the ICRC’S inability to rescue malnourished children at Al-Nasser Hospital after receiving a request for assistance due to the teams' inability to access the location due to the severity of the situation.
Mardini also warned that accusations directed at ICRC teams, including espionage allegations, pose a danger not only to the humanitarian organization’s personnel but also to people awaiting assistance.
Such accusations hinder humanitarian work and have highly negative implications, stressed Mardini.
Mardini characterized his visit to Saudi Arabia as a “critical mission,” noting that it falls within the scope of a robust partnership with the Kingdom, KSRelief, colleagues from the Saudi Red Crescent, and Saudi authorities.
The ICRC Director-General extended his gratitude to KSRelief for supporting the ICRC in its current work amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
According to Mardini, Saudi Arabia’s support is crucial as humanitarian needs are immense in the region.
The Kingdom’s support enables the ICRC to operate and save the lives of the wounded who are overwhelming hospitals operating beyond their capacity due to the violence of the clashes on the ground, he stressed.
Mardini also highlighted that his visit aims at acknowledging the significant role Saudi Arabia plays in the region, urging conflicting parties to do what they can to protect civilians.
On another note, Mardini highlighted the significant challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in general.
There is a major problem amid the increasing number of conflicts worldwide and the rise in humanitarian needs, coupled with a shortage of funding from donor countries, he explained.
The solution, as per Mardini, lies in receiving more aid and diversifying sources, involving both countries and the private sector.
The funding shortfall has compelled the ICRC to scale back its global programs.
In response to a question about the ongoing preparations for a prisoner exchange deal in Yemen, Mardini stated that the situation is still unclear at this point.
Naturally, the ICRC is fully prepared to undertake such an initiative, stressed Mardini.
However, the details regarding the mechanisms remain unclear so far, and this is something determined by the parties involved, he added, noting that the ICRC is ready to facilitate the exchange.
