The Government Media Office (GMO) in the Gaza Strip has strongly condemned the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for suspending its operations in Gaza City, denouncing the move as “dangerous, inhumane, and a violation of international law.”

The GMO described the decision as a devastating moral and humanitarian failure that abandons Palestinians at a time of unparalleled suffering.

In a statement released Monday, the GMO said it was “deeply astonished” and “outraged” by the Red Cross’s announcement to temporarily close its Gaza City office amid the ongoing Israeli war of extermination.

“This decision is catastrophic, irresponsible, and a painful retreat from the humanitarian and moral duty the Red Cross claims to uphold,” the statement read. “It is a betrayal of the Palestinian people, who face daily massacres, starvation, and destruction under Israeli aggression.”

The GMO warned that the Red Cross’s suspension of activity leaves hundreds of thousands of unarmed civilians without vital protection or aid in what it called “one of the most dangerous and devastated places on Earth.”

Citing international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, the GMO reminded that the ICRC is obligated to operate within conflict zones, not withdraw from them. “The Red Cross’s withdrawal contradicts the very essence of its humanitarian mandate,” the statement said, emphasizing that the organization’s duty is to stand by civilians during war, not to abandon them under pressure from the occupying power.

The statement underscored that Gaza’s civilian population—already enduring siege, famine, and relentless bombardment—now faces worsening humanitarian conditions as winter approaches. “Hundreds of thousands of displaced families are left without food, water, shelter, or medical care,” it added.

The GMO urged the Red Cross to “immediately reverse its unjust decision” and instead increase its presence and field activities in Gaza City, delivering aid to those most in need. “Now more than ever, Gaza’s civilians require protection and support, not abandonment,” the statement said.

Finally, the GMO called on the Red Cross to reaffirm its neutrality and humanitarian integrity by resisting political pressures and proving to the world that it serves humanity rather than the interests of the Israeli occupation.

“History will remember whether the Red Cross stood with the victims of genocide—or turned its back on them,” the statement concluded. (ILKHA)