Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has announced the country's readiness to send humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip following Israel's imposition of a full siege on the Palestinian enclave. Amir-Abdollahian conveyed this message in separate phone conversations with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, and the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.
During the call with Spoljaric, Amir-Abdollahian expressed the Iranian Red Crescent Society's willingness to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza in coordination with the ICRC. However, Spoljaric highlighted that the ICRC is currently unable to operate in Gaza due to security concerns, urging relevant parties and governments to support the ICRC in maintaining its neutral and humanitarian role.
In the conversation with UN Chief Guterres, Amir-Abdollahian called for immediate UN actions to facilitate the delivery of water, food, and humanitarian items to Gaza. Guterres expressed deep concern over the situation, noting the danger faced by hundreds of UN staff in Gaza, with some losing their lives.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that eleven of its employees have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the recent escalation of hostilities. The conflict erupted when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns adjacent to Gaza, prompting retaliatory strikes from Israel. The toll as of Wednesday includes over 2,000 casualties on both sides, with thousands more injured.
