Israel's Rafah assault may worsen hunger, scarcity — Turkish Red Crescent

Turkish Red Crescent has said that a ground attack by Israeli forces on the Rafah border crossing will bring very grave consequences.

Fatma Meric Yilmaz, the head of the relief group, expressed concern in a written statement on Tuesday about the fruitlessness of ceasefire talks between parties to the conflict to end the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.

She appealed to the international community to make every effort to ensure urgent and lasting ceasefire conditions in the region and deliver more humanitarian aid.

"The recent developments on May 6, 2024, in which Israeli authorities took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, including for humanitarian aid, are particularly alarming," she said.

"This closure will undoubtedly lead to increased hunger and scarcity. At Turkish Red Crescent, we are deeply saddened and concerned by these developments. We reiterate our call for a permanent ceasefire and insist that safe corridors for humanitarian aid must not be closed under any circumstances," she said.

Seeking alternative routes

Yilmaz stated that the Turkish Red Crescent has begun discussions with all stakeholders in the region, including the Egyptian and Palestinian Red crescents, to explore options for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza through alternative routes.

"It is crucial that the northern border crossings in Gaza are opened to more humanitarian aid as soon as possible. We reiterate our call for a permanent ceasefire and continuous humani tarian efforts," she said.

The war on Gaza, which has been ongoing for about seven months, has put approximately 1.1 million people, equivalent to half of its population, in a disastrous situation of hunger, alongside casualties and severe injuries, she said.

50,000 tons of aid

Emphasising that malnutrition, especially among children, has reached record levels in Gaza, with one in every three children under the age of 2 being severely malnourished, she said in the northern areas where approximately 300,000 people live, the risk of famine is increasing daily.

Yilmaz noted that Türkiye has sent approximately 50,000 tons of aid materials to the region by air and sea as part of the Palestine Humanitarian Aid Operation.

She said that the "Ships of Goodness" sent to Gaza in collaboration with the Turkish Red Crescent and Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) have contributed to meeting most basic needs in the region.

Before the Israeili war on Gaza, approximately 500 trucks of essential goods entered daily, but during the war, an average of only 100 trucks were allowed entry, she noted.