A devastating aftermath was described by a senior Red Cross official in Gaza following an Israeli strike on Friday.
William Schomburg, the local chief for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), recounted the incident to reporters in Geneva via video link, providing details of the destruction and the influx of wounded individuals seeking aid.
According to AFP, the explosions occurred at approximately 3.30 pm on the compound’s walls, causing extensive damage and resulting in 22 deaths. Schomburg vividly portrayed the situation, stating, “There were piles of dead bodies, blood everywhere.” The strike had a significant impact on the Red Cross compound, which is situated just south of a humanitarian zone designated by the Israeli military and is known to all parties involved in the conflict.
Schomburg emphasized that the ICRC does not wish to assign blame and is not here for that purpose. However, he acknowledged that this incident is one of several near misses they have experienced, and operating under such circumstances is not feasible for the ICRC.
Many of the injured were transported by ambulance to a nearby Red Cross field hospital for urgent medical care, but unfortunately, not all survived their injuries. Schomburg mentioned that no Red Cross staff members lost their lives, although two children of staff members were injured and required medical attention.
Schomburg recounted the distressing scene around the Red Cross compound, describing pools of blood on the street and bodies scattered across the ground. He even mentioned finding body parts in different areas, including within the compound itself. The magnitude of suffering witnessed by the team in such a short period of time was truly shocking.
The Israel Defense Forces have released a statement on Saturday stating that their initial investigation has found no evidence of a direct attack on a Red Cross facility. The inquiry is still ongoing, and the findings will be shared with international partners.
Schomburg has described the chaos and fear experienced by the people residing near the compound, many of whom are families of Red Cross personnel living in tents. He referred to it as a “miracle” that no serious injuries were reported. He further explained that there was an overwhelming sense of fear among the panicked and desperate individuals who had nowhere to seek refuge.
This attack has occurred amidst heightened Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip, which were initiated following the October 7 assault by Hamas. According to AFP, this attack resulted in the deaths of 1,194 individuals, primarily civilians. Hamas had also taken hostages, with 116 still being held in Gaza, although the Israeli army has reported that 41 have died. As per Gaza’s health ministry, Israel’s counteroffensive has led to a minimum of 37,551 deaths, predominantly civilians.
