The president of the Palestine Red Crescent Society has urged an independent inquiry into alleged Israeli crimes in Gaza, demanding accountability for those responsible.
His call comes as the humanitarian crisis in the region worsens.
During a UN Security Council session in New York, Younis Al-Khatib spoke about the increasing Israeli military operations and their impact on Palestinians. He stressed the urgent need to protect humanitarian workers, warning that the aid system in Gaza is on the brink of collapse.
Al-Khatib also raised concerns over the disappearance of a Red Crescent team member in Tel Al-Sultan, a neighborhood in Rafah. He called on the Israeli military to disclose information about their whereabouts. The humanitarian organization has lost 30 staff members in Gaza, including eight in Tel Al-Sultan.
The ongoing Israeli blockade, according to Al-Khatib, violates international law. He called for the immediate delivery of aid and the reopening of border crossings to ease the suffering of civilians.
On March 23, the Palestine Red Crescent deployed ambulances and medical teams to rescue victims of an Israeli attack in Rafah. However, the crews disappeared after being targeted. International teams later gained access to the site and found the bodies of the missing medics buried under the sand. Their medical vehicles had also been destroyed and buried.
The latest findings have intensified calls for accountability. Many fear that continued attacks on humanitarian workers will further devastate relief efforts and deepen the crisis in Gaza.