Gaza – Early morning on June 1, the 60-bed Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah received a mass casualty influx of 179 cases, including women and children. The majority suffered gunshot or shrapnel wounds. Twenty-one patients were declared dead upon arrival. All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site. This is the highest number of weapon-wounded in a single incident since the establishment of the field hospital over a year ago. It far surpassed the capacity of the hospital.

Hospital staff treated patients as per our triage procedures, and some cases were referred to other facilities for further treatment. This process, however, remains complicated due to many medical facilities being damaged or rendered out of service.

The reality on the ground in Gaza is that for months now, civilians have had to navigate the areas affected by intense hostilities to find food and safe water for their families. The high number of dead and injured patients received in a short amount of time is indicative of the increasing danger to civilians who have already struggled to survive for almost twenty months of unimaginable hostilities. This is unacceptable.

International humanitarian law is clear: the rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian relief must be allowed and facilitated. This is crucial to ensure that medical supplies, food, water, hygiene items, and other essentials reach those in need. Humanitarian organizations have proven track records of distributing humanitarian assistance to civilians in an effective, safe, and dignified manner. They must be allowed to respond at scale and in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The small amount of assistance currently entering Gaza is nowhere near enough to meet the needs, and the desperation of civilians to reach any of this assistance is growing.