The Red Cross is on the ground in the Middle East helping the tens of thousands of people displaced by the war in Israel.
The escalating violence and increased airstrikes has created a humanitarian crisis.
Head of Region – Middle East with the Canadian Red Cross, Breanne England says the suffering is “unprecedented” with thousands of people who have lost their lives and tens of thousands who are displaced.
“We have people living out in the open, trying to shelter in the open air because they have nowhere to go,” says England. “They do not have access to clean water or food, or any safety net at all, and this is absolutely heartbreaking to see.”
She says Magen David Adom, the Red Cross branch in Israel, has been responding since the attacks on October 7, while the Palestine Red Crescent Society is on the ground in Gaza providing 24/7 medical assistance.
She describes the situation at the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza as “complete chaos” with about 12,000 people sheltering there, not including the patients and staff working there. “People are sleeping in stairwells, people are sleeping in hallways, there’s no privacy, there’s complete chaos when you talk about people who are trying to find somewhere safe.”
