Red Cross Withdraws from Gaza City Amid Escalating Violence

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Red Cross Forced to Leave Gaza City

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on October 1, 2025, that it has been forced to temporarily suspend operations in Gaza City and relocate staff due to escalating military hostilities and deteriorating security conditions. This decision represents a significant blow to humanitarian efforts in the region, where tens of thousands of civilians face desperate conditions and urgent need for assistance.

Escalating Violence Forces Humanitarian Retreat

The ICRC, a three-time Nobel Peace Prize laureate organization founded in 1863, stated that it will continue operations from its offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, which remain fully operational. 'The ICRC will continue to strive to support civilians in Gaza City when circumstances permit, from our offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, which remain fully operational,' the organization said in a statement. The withdrawal comes as Israeli military operations intensify in Gaza City, making it increasingly dangerous for humanitarian workers to operate safely.

According to the ICRC, 'Under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected, whether they leave Gaza City or remain. Israel, as the occupying power, has the duty to ensure that their basic needs are met.' The organization emphasized that thousands of people in the Palestinian city still urgently need assistance and called for an end to hostilities.

Second Major Aid Organization to Withdraw

The Red Cross is not the first major humanitarian organization to suspend operations in Gaza City. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) withdrew its medical teams from the area last week, citing similar security concerns. 'This is the last thing we want, given the enormous need for medical assistance in Gaza City,' stated Doctors Without Borders. 'The increasingly heavy attacks by Israeli troops pose an unacceptable risk to our staff.' The organization reported that Israeli military forces had advanced to within less than a kilometer of their medical clinics, making continued operations impossible.

Civilian Casualties Mount Amid Continued Attacks

On the same day as the Red Cross announcement, Israeli attacks in Gaza killed at least 16 Palestinians, according to local sources. Among the dead were people who had sought refuge in Al-Falah school in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, which was reportedly hit twice in quick succession. Medical staff at Al-Ahli Hospital reported that the facility was struck twice, resulting in deaths including humanitarian workers.

Later in the morning, five more people were killed when an Israeli attack hit a drinking water tank in western Gaza City. Among the casualties was Palestinian journalist Yahya Barzaq, who worked for Turkish broadcaster TRT. The Israeli military has not yet commented on his death. These attacks occurred as the world awaits Hamas's response to a peace proposal from former US President Donald Trump.

Trump's Peace Plan Awaits Hamas Response

President Trump, together with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced a comprehensive 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. The proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire if both sides agree, with all hostages to be returned within 72 hours in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Trump stated that Hamas has 'three to four days' to respond to the proposal and indicated there is little room for negotiation.

Hamas officials said they would study the plan 'with an open mind.' The proposal establishes Gaza as a 'deradicalised terror-free zone' governed by a temporary technocratic Palestinian administration, excluding Hamas from any governance role. A new 'Board of Peace' would oversee Gaza's reconstruction, chaired by Trump himself.

Humanitarian Crisis Worsens

The withdrawal of both the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders from Gaza City represents a severe setback for humanitarian efforts in the region. According to Doctors Without Borders, no hospitals remain fully functional in Gaza City, famine has been declared, and over 1,580 health workers have been killed since the conflict began following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been providing life-saving medical supplies to hospitals, supporting baking facilities that produce 45,000 loaves of bread daily, and maintaining water services. Their temporary withdrawal from Gaza City will leave thousands of vulnerable civilians without access to these essential services.

The situation highlights the dangerous conditions facing both humanitarian workers and civilians in conflict zones, with international organizations calling for immediate protection of civilians under international humanitarian law and unimpeded humanitarian access across Gaza.