The ICRC has been present and operating in Israel and the Occupied Territories since 1967.
While active combat operations have recently ceased, the humanitarian needs remain immense. There is a critical window of opportunity for the ICRC to act.
Below are some highlights from the January 2025 report on the ICRC’s response in three key areas: provision of water, medical care, and the ICRC's role as a neutral intermediary between the parties to the conflict.
Ceasefire and Humanitarian Needs
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19, 2025, providing much-needed relief for millions of civilians. However, the consequences of the hostilities remain significant and will have lasting impacts. Tens of thousands of people have been killed or wounded, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced – often repeatedly. Families are now on the move, venturing further than they have over the past 15 months. Unfortunately, they face new dangers such as unexploded ordnance. People are struggling to meet their essential needs for food, shelter, water, and health care, and preventable deaths are occurring due to secondary causes, including lack of safe water and nutrition.
The ceasefire agreement offers not only an opportunity to deliver critically needed emergency assistance but also a cause for hope.
Provision of Water
Since early October 2023, the ICRC has helped more than 1.4 million people gain access to clean water. Since the ceasefire's implementation, our Water and Habitat teams have been able to:
• Scale up the flow of critical items into Gaza.
• Provide support to find quick fixes for water infrastructure in newly accessible areas such as Rafah, eastern Khan Younis, and others.
• Deliver two water tankers, each with a capacity of 5,000 liters, to provide drinking water to those in need.
• Supply five mobile wastewater pumps to evacuate raw sewage during malfunctions or breakdowns at pumping stations or manage high overflows, thus limiting the risk of disease spread.
• Donate 6,450 liters of generator oil to power hospital generators.
Medical Care
Between May 9 and December 6, 2024, the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah, established by the ICRC and the Norwegian Red Cross in partnership with over a dozen Red Cross National Societies, provided:
• 49,153 consultations.
• 2,154 surgical procedures.
• Admission for 1,247 people for various treatments.
Neutral Intermediary Role
As a neutral intermediary, and in line with the ceasefire agreement, the ICRC is conducting a multi-phase operation to facilitate the safe release and transfer of hostages held in the Gaza Strip and Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody. The ICRC continues to advocate for safe, private, and dignified release efforts.
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