Israel is under mounting pressure at home and abroad to end its devastating offensive in Gaza, where the vast majority of the population has been displaced at least once and the United Nations has declared a famine.
The UN estimates that nearly a million people currently live in Gaza governorate, which includes Gaza City and its surroundings in the north of the territory.
Any evacuation order “would be imposed on civilians who are already traumatised by months of fighting and terrified by what could come next”, Spoljaric said.
“Many are unable to comply with evacuation orders because they are starving, sick, injured or suffering from physical disabilities,” she pointed out, stressing that “all civilians are protected by international humanitarian law (IHL), whether they leave or stay behind, and must be allowed to return home”.
Spoljaric highlighted that “IHL requires that when evacuation orders are issued, Israel must do everything to ensure that civilians have satisfactory conditions of shelter, hygiene, health, safety and nutrition, and that families are not separated”.
“These conditions cannot currently be met in Gaza,” she said.
“This makes any evacuation not only unfeasible but incomprehensible under the present circumstances.”
The ICRC president reiterated the call for an immediate ceasefire, a mass influx of aid and for Palestinian group Hamas to release its remaining Israeli hostages.
“Any further escalation of the conflict will only lead to more death, destruction and displacement,” she said.
