In a statement on Friday, Mirjana Spoljaric , head of the ICRC, said the situation made any large-scale evacuation “unfeasible and incomprehensible”. She warned that forcing civilians to flee in the current conditions would trigger population movements on a scale that Gaza’s infrastructure is unable to support.

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that Israeli orders for a mass evacuation of Gaza City cannot be carried out safely and violate the conditions set by international humanitarian law. The comments come as Israeli military operations in northern Gaza intensify, prompting fears of further mass displacement in an already devastated enclave.

“It is impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified under the current conditions,” Spoljaric said. “Such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip can absorb.”

She cited the widespread destruction of shelters, hospitals, water networks and food distribution systems as critical constraints. Many civilians are unable to leave, she added, due to illness, disability, injury, or fear.

“Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law whether they leave or stay behind,” she said. “They must be allowed to return home. These conditions cannot currently be met in Gaza.”

The remarks follow an announcement by the Israeli military that Gaza City has been declared a “combat zone,” prompting immediate evacuation orders for tens of thousands of civilians. Israeli forces are continuing their ground operations amid widespread damage and near-total collapse of Gaza’s basic services.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has warned that up to one million Palestinians could be forcibly displaced if Israel proceeds with its offensive. In a statement posted on social media, the agency said that “any further escalation would deepen suffering and push more people toward catastrophe.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 63,000 since the start of Israel’s military campaign. At least 322 Palestinians have died of starvation, with humanitarian organisations citing famine in multiple districts including Gaza City. Medical centres are overwhelmed, and children are reported to be dying from malnutrition.

The United Nations has also expressed concern about Israel’s suspension of previously declared “tactical pauses” in combat operations. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warned on Thursday that suspending such pauses would endanger both civilians and aid workers. “Forcing hundreds of thousands of people to move further south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer,” he said.

Israeli operations have continued to target areas both inside and outside designated “safe zones,” including al-Mawasi in southern Gaza. The Health Ministry said that recent attacks had killed civilians in al-Mawasi, which has been repeatedly bombed despite being labelled a humanitarian area.

Eyewitness reports from Gaza describe chaotic scenes of families fleeing under fire, many with no destination or shelter. Photographs show civilians carrying what belongings they can through ruined streets as Israeli strikes hit surrounding areas. Aid workers report that many who attempt to move are dying in transit due to lack of access to food, water, and medical care.

Spoljaric reiterated the ICRC’s demand for immediate humanitarian access and a ceasefire agreement. “Every minute without a ceasefire agreement costs lives,” she said. “Humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow at a scale that meets the needs.”

She also repeated the ICRC’s call for Hamas to release all remaining hostages. More than 200 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage during the initial October 2023 attack on southern Israel. Some have since been freed in swaps, but others remain in captivity.

The situation on the ground has been complicated by regional developments. Israel continues its bombing campaign in southern Lebanon, with daily airstrikes targeting what they claim are Hezbollah-linked positions. In the West Bank, Israeli forces have conducted multiple raids on towns near Ramallah and Jenin, leaving several Palestinians injured. Journalists have also reported being targeted with tear gas and threats at gunpoint during Israeli military operations.

At the international level, the crisis has triggered further diplomatic fallout. The Trump administration announced it had revoked visas for several senior officials from the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, blocking their attendance at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. Palestinian representatives said the move violates the UN Headquarters Agreement, which requires the host country to grant access to all member states and observers.

Despite these developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes, is expected to attend the session.

The growing humanitarian crisis has sparked global protests and political responses. The foreign ministers of six European countries, Spain, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and Luxembourg, issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s offensive, calling it a violation of international law and urging an immediate halt to operations.

In Turkiye, the government has suspended all economic and trade relations with Israel and closed its airspace to Israeli aircraft. Hamas welcomed the decision and called on other countries to adopt similar measures.

Inside Gaza, aid organisations warn that hospitals are at breaking point. In Gaza City’s al-Helou Hospital, newborns are being placed two or three to an incubator due to equipment shortages. UNICEF described the situation as a “complete collapse of care.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that more than 1.7 million people are already displaced inside Gaza, with most sheltering in makeshift camps or overcrowded buildings. The proposed evacuation of Gaza City would affect up to 400,000 additional civilians.

HT

Israel is set to halt airdrops over Gaza City and reduce the entry of relief trucks ahead of a major offensive, a source told CNN, as the Red Cross warned that Israeli plans for mass evacuation were “impossible.”

Israel is preparing to fully capture Gaza’s biggest city after nearly two years of war, despite warnings the campaign will have disastrous and unbearable consequences for Palestinians in the besieged region.

The Israeli military has carried out heavy bombing and ground attacks on Gaza City in recent days, eyewitnesses and Palestinian authorities say, choking vital services and leaving hundreds of thousands of people crammed into an ever-shrinking area.

On Friday, the military declared the city a “dangerous combat zone” ahead of the planned assault, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will target what he calls one of Hamas’ “remaining strongholds.”

This week Israeli drones circled over several areas in and around the city to drop leaflets, according to Gaza City residents, telling people to evacuate to south of Wadi Gaza” – which bisects the Strip.

“To everyone in Gaza City and Jabalya area, as you were previously warned, the Israeli army is expanding its operations toward the west. For your safety, evacuate immediately south from Wadi Gaza,” the leaflets read.

Palestinians flee their homes as intense Israeli attacks on northern Gaza force them to head toward central Gaza via al-Rashid Road, carrying whatever belongings they can, on August 29. Hassan Jedi/Anadolu/Getty Images

But the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has denounced the move.

“It is impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified under the current conditions,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement, warning that starving, disabled and injured Palestinians were incapable of moving.

“Such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip can absorb, given the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the extreme shortages of food, water, shelter and medical care,” added Spoljaric.

Residents in Gaza City ‘terrorized 24 hours a day’

More than one million people are displaced in the central and western parts of Gaza City alone, a municipality spokesperson said on Saturday, warning that conditions are already “dire.”

“We expect a sharp increase in the number of casualties if the occupation expands its military operation,” said Asem Alnabih. “We are facing a total collapse of service, as the occupation continues to prevent the entry of fuel and the machinery we need.”

A senior UN official warned that residents inside Gaza City – who face physical exhaustion, hunger, malnourishment and fatigue – are also under the constant shadow of bombing, weakening their ability to make life or death decisions.

“These people are facing death. Yet, they are now facing the threat of an invasion,” Sam Rose, the head of the UN’s agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza. “They’re being terrorized 24 hours a day.”

The Israeli military also announced plans to stop 10-hour “tactical pauses” in hostilities, which began a month ago after severe aid restrictions, siege and bombing wrought deadly starvation in the enclave.

In the past 24 hours, a further 10 people died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza bringing the total to at least 332 Palestinians since October 7, 2023, the health ministry reported on Saturday. Of those who died, 124 were children, the ministry added.

Israeli strikes in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks have killed 63,371 Palestinians and injured another 159,835 people, according to the Ministry of Health in the enclave.

Israel wants to slow down or halt the entry of aid into northern Gaza, an official who spoke on condition of anonymity told press agency, The Associated Press.

It comes as Israel began its expanded military offensive in Gaza City, which was announced earlier this month and drew international condemnation.

On Friday, Israel declared the besieged city a combat zone, and claimed that a network of tunnels used by Hamas still remain, despite several previous large-scale raids on the area throughout its nearly 23-month-long offensive.

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According to several media, hospital authorities reported at least 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Saturday, including 26 in Gaza City.

As the military escalated its assault on Gaza City over the past week, Israel called on Palestinians to evacuate to the south of the strip, a move the Red Cross warned against.

“A mass evacuation of Gaza City is not only unfeasible but incomprehensible,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement on Saturday.

“Such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip can absorb, given the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the extreme shortages of food, water, shelter and medical care,” she added.

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Israeli security officials appeared to acknowledge the logistical challenges, telling local media that the evacuation of Gaza City is going slower than expected.

Spoljaric demanded all civilians must be protected by international humanitarian law, “whether they leave or stay behind, and must be allowed to return home.”

Palestinian toddler, 3, sleeps in horse-drawn cart as his displaced family flees northern Gaza Strip moving their belongings on a street in Gaza City, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. – Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana

Aid groups have also warned that the largescale evacuation would further worsen the dire humanitarian crisis. Earlier this month the leading authority on food crises confirmed that Gaza City was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger.

On Thursday, the UN announced 23,000 people had evacuated over the week, many who have been forced to leave their homes more than once. However, many in Gaza City say there is nowhere safe to go.

Displaced Gazans head south along a coastal road as the Israeli military gears up for a major new operation in the territory’s north – Copyright AFP Eyad BABA

The Red Cross warned on Saturday that any Israeli efforts to evacuate Gaza City would put residents at risk, as Israel’s military tightened its siege on the area ahead of a major planned offensive.

After nearly 23 months of devastating war, Israel is under increasing pressure to end its offensive in Gaza, where the United Nations has declared a famine and the majority of the population has been displaced at least once.

But despite the calls at home and abroad for an end to the war, the Israeli army is readying itself for an intensified operation to seize the Palestinian territory’s largest urban centre and relocate its inhabitants.

“It is impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified under the current conditions,” International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement.

The dire state of shelter, healthcare and nutrition in Gaza meant evacuation was “not only unfeasible but incomprehensible under the present circumstances”.

An Israeli military statement on Friday declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone”, adding that daily pauses in fighting intended to allow limited food deliveries would no longer continue.

The military did not call for the population to leave immediately, but a day earlier COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body that oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said it was undertaking preparations “for moving the population southward for their protection”.

– ‘Escalation’ –

A journalist working for AFP on the northern edge of Gaza City reported he had been ordered to evacuate by the army, adding conditions had become increasingly difficult, with bombardments coming closer to his position and gunfire and explosions heard nearby.

The UN estimates that nearly a million people currently live in Gaza governorate, which includes Gaza City and its surroundings.

The territory’s civil defence agency reported intense Israeli strikes in Gaza City’s Sabra and Zeitoun districts, and an “escalation” in the Sheikh Radwan area north of the city centre.

Abu Mohammed Kishko, a resident of the northern Zeitoun area, told AFP the bombardments the previous night had been “insane”.

“It didn’t stop for a second, and we didn’t sleep all night,” the 42-year-old said.

“We also couldn’t breathe properly because of the smoke bombs — we were suffocating,” he added.

Kishko explained that he, like many other residents, had not followed the Israeli evacuation orders because there was nowhere safe to go.

– ‘Daily misery’ –

Sheikh Radwan resident Mariam Yassine said the non-stop shelling had kept her children up all night.

“My husband went a few days ago to find us a place (to relocate to), but he couldn’t find anything, and we don’t know what to do. We have no place to go,” the 38-year-old said.

“We are living in daily misery here in Gaza, as if the world doesn’t hear us or see us.”

On Friday, Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, warned that there were “nearly one million people between the city and the northern governorate who basically have nowhere to go, have no resources even to move”.

Critics of the war inside Israel have urged against pursuing the planned Gaza offensive, warning it could claim the lives of more soldiers and endanger the safety of hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.

The Israeli army, whose troops have been conducting ground operations in Zeitoun for several days, said Saturday that two of its soldiers had been injured by an explosive device “during combat in the northern Gaza Strip”.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which sparked the war in Gaza, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Of the 251 hostages seized during the attack, 47 are still being held in Gaza, around 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 63,025 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the UN considers reliable.

The head of the Red Cross has warned that it would be impossible to keep people safe during a mass expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza, as Israel intensifies its assault in the enclave.

Israel is pushing ahead with its plan to fully occupy Gaza, while facing a global outcry over the starvation campaign in the besieged enclave.

“It is impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified under the current conditions,” Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement on Saturday.

A forceful evacuation would provoke a massive population displacement that no other area in Gaza is equipped to absorb, amid severe shortages of food, shelter, and medical supplies, Spoljaric said.

‘Unfeasible, incomprehensible’

The Israeli military said on Friday that it “will continue to support humanitarian efforts alongside ongoing manoeuvring and offensive operations against terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip to protect the state of Israel”.