Intensity of fighting hampering aid effort in Gaza

(MENAFN - Swissinfo) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) describes how Israeli airstrikes have crippled a population already dependent on humanitarian aid and made it difficult to reach civilians in need.This content was published on May 20, 2021 - 16:50 May 20, 2021 - 16:50 Geraldine Wong Sak Hoi A stickler for detail, Geraldine first arrived at swissinfo.ch in 2014 to study rumours on social media as part of a collaborative research project known as Pheme. She now coordinates the Fact Checks by swissinfo.ch dossier covering (mis)statements about Switzerland, and continues to follow the trail of online misinformation. More about the author | English Department See in other languages: 2 عربي(ar)اللجنة الدولية للصليب الأحمر: "الهجمات الاسرائيلية على قطاع غزّة أعاقت جهود الإغاثة" Español(es)La intensidad de los combates ha dificultado la ayuda en Gaza Since this article was published, a ceasefire has come into effect (starting May 21), ending 11 days of conflict that has claimed at least 240 lives.The Geneva-based ICRC, which provides assistance to people in conflict zones, says that the latest round of fighting that began nearly two weeks ago has been of an unprecedented intensity.'The impact in 10 days is huge,' ICRC spokesperson Suhair Zakkout told SWI swissinfo.ch by telephone from the Gaza Strip, which has been hardest hit in the hostilities. She described partial or complete damage to key infrastructure, including roads and power plants. The constant threat of an airstrike hitting any part of the small, densely populated territory was preventing people from going out for basic necessities.The ICRC has calledExternal link multiple times for a respite in the violence to allow civilians to move about and to enable humanitarian organisations to do their work. On Tuesday a convoy of 24 aid trucks came under mortar fire as it tried to enter Gaza.MENAFN22052021000210011054ID1102113939