Red Cross chief calls Gaza "worse than hell on earth" amid humanitarian disaster

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, has described the situation in Gaza as “worse than hell on earth,” warning that humanity is failing as the war continues with devastating consequences. In an interview with the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Spoljaric said the level of destruction and suffering in Gaza is surpassing all “acceptable, legal, moral, and humane standards.” Spoljaric was asked to reflect on her April remarks that Gaza was “hell on earth,” and whether anything had changed since. “It has become worse,” she replied. “We cannot continue to watch what is happening. It’s surpassing any acceptable, legal, moral, and humane standard. The level of destruction, the level of suffering… more importantly, the fact that we are watching a people entirely stripped of its human dignity. It should really shock our collective conscience.” She urged the international community to act decisively to end the war, alleviate Palestinian suffering, and secure the release of Israeli hostages. As the custodian of the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC plays a unique moral and legal role in monitoring compliance with international humanitarian law. “Every state has a right to defend itself,” said Spoljaric, in response to Israel’s justification of its actions as self-defence. “And every mother has a right to see her children return. There’s no excuse for hostage-taking. There is no excuse for depriving children of their access to food, health, and security. There are rules in the conduct of hostilities that every party to every conflict has to respect.” Referring to the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas, which killed around 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage, Spoljaric said those acts do not justify Israel’s ongoing destruction of Gaza, where over 54,000 people have been killed according to the territory’s health ministry. “It’s no justification for the disrespect or hollowing out of the Geneva Conventions. Neither party is allowed to break the rules, no matter what,” she said. “A child in Gaza has exactly the same protections under the Geneva Conventions as a child in Israel.”

ICRC Warns of Total Collapse in Gaza

With over 300 ICRC staff on the ground—90% of them Palestinians—the organisation has become one of the few reliable sources of on-the-ground reporting. Israel does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, to enter Gaza. The ICRC field hospital in Rafah, near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid zone, has been overwhelmed in recent days due to deadly chaos during aid distributions. “Nowhere is safe in Gaza. Nowhere. Not for the civilians, not for the hostages,” said Spoljaric. She described a recent incident where a child was struck by a bullet while receiving treatment inside a tent. “We have no security even for our own staff… They are working 20 hours a day. But it’s too much, it’s surpassing human capabilities.” On Tuesday alone, the Rafah hospital received 184 patients in just a few hours—19 were dead on arrival, and eight more succumbed to their injuries shortly thereafter. It was the single deadliest influx of casualties since the hospital began operating. Witnesses and ICRC staff reported scenes of “total carnage” as Israeli troops opened fire on civilians approaching a distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The GHF, a US- and Israel-backed initiative, has recently taken over aid operations from traditional UN agencies. Its emergence follows accusations that humanitarian delivery has become increasingly militarised and hazardous for civilians. Several deadly incidents have been reported around GHF distribution points, raising concerns about both the safety and effectiveness of the current aid system.

Call to the International Community

Spoljaric also expressed alarm over rhetoric suggesting “victory at all costs,” warning that such language leads to dehumanisation and undermines the laws of war. “We are seeing things happening that will make the world an unhappier place far beyond the region,” she said. “Because we are hollowing out the very rules that protect the fundamental rights of every human being.” Without a ceasefire, she warned, the region could face a bleak and dangerous future. “To preserve a pathway back to peace for the region is vital. If you destroy that pathway for good, the region will never find safety and security. But we can stop it now. It’s not too late.” Calling for immediate international action, Spoljaric urged state leaders to fulfil their legal and moral responsibilities under international law. “State leaders are under an obligation to act. I’m calling on them to do something, to do more, to do what they can. Because it will reverberate. It will haunt them. It will reach their doorsteps.” Reiterating her core message, she concluded: “We cannot continue watching what is happening. It defies humanity. It will haunt us.”

US Vetoes UN Ceasefire Resolution for Gaza

On 5 June 2025, the United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, blocking a near-unanimous international effort to halt the war. Fourteen of the Council’s fifteen members supported the draft, which was co-sponsored by ten elected members – Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia – collectively known as the E-10. The resolution called for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire,” the release of all hostages, and the lifting of humanitarian restrictions. It cited alarm over Gaza’s deteriorating humanitarian crisis, with international agencies warning of famine and the collapse of essential services after eight months of Israeli blockade. It also urged the restoration of aid access and essential infrastructure, while supporting mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States under the framework of UNSC Resolution 2735 (2024). Despite widespread support, the US exercised its veto power to block the resolution. Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea called the text “unacceptable,” criticizing it for failing to explicitly condemn Hamas or demand its disarmament and withdrawal from Gaza. “The United States has been clear – we would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Shea said. She also pointed out that Hamas had rejected recent ceasefire proposals, including one offered just days earlier. Approving the resolution, she argued, would “reward intransigence” and jeopardize ongoing negotiations aimed at ending hostilities and securing the release of hostages. Other Council members, including the United Kingdom and France, voiced support for the resolution, citing the urgent need to end the humanitarian suffering. UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward explained that Britain backed the measure because “the intolerable situation in Gaza needs to end.” She urged Israel to allow unhindered humanitarian access, adding, “Let the UN and humanitarians do their job to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity.” With more than two million people now facing imminent starvation, human rights groups and some UN officials have warned that Gaza is witnessing a systemic famine and described the ongoing crisis as a “genocide.”