TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society has called the International Committee of the Red Cross for facilitating the process of dispatching humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Razieh Alishvandi, the IRCS director for international affairs, met with Vincent Cassard, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iran,

The International Committee of the Red Cross should seriously intervene in the clear violation of international humanitarian law and condemn the Zionist regime's airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since it has violated many cases of the four Geneva Conventions, Alishvandi said, IRCS website reported on Friday.

Referring to the humanitarian consequences of the Zionist regime's attacks against defenseless civilians which are against the norms and international rules, Alishvandi said these measures challenge humanity and violate international law.

Failing to comply with ethical standards, attacking children, women, and journalists, targeting water, electricity, and fuel infrastructures, as well as starving civilians, etc. are among the cases of human rights violations, she said.

She went on to say that "humanity in Gaza" is in danger and added that targeting the medical staff, hospitals, ambulances and rescuers of the Red Crescent led to the complete collapse of the healthcare sector and ultimately their inability to provide medical services and aid to those injured.

Alishvandi stressed, “A safe way should be found to send relief supplies to this country. Iran's humanitarian shipments should reach the people of Gaza as soon as possible.”

A consignment weighing 20,000 tons is being prepared to be sent to Gaza from Iran, and we request the International Committee of the Red Cross to follow up on obtaining the necessary permits from the Egyptian government to send these shipments, she stated.

“Moreover, the Iranian Red Crescent Society is ready to provide medical services to the wounded and treat them by establishing three mobile hospitals along with sending experienced medical staff to Egypt (Palestine border).”

Cassard, for his part, said, " Gaza is our priority in the Committee of the Red Cross; the clear violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza is unprecedented."

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been present in this country for 60 years, but due to the recent conflicts, it was forced to move the location of its representative office, he added.

He further said: "The conditions for sending humanitarian aid to this country are very difficult, but we used our reserve shipments to treat people."

The issue of water and fuel is very critical and we have taken measures to provide them and we have also sent shipments of medicine to Gaza.

Cassard added despite all these activities, due to the war conditions, these aids have been insufficient.

Pir Hossein Kolivand, the head of the IRCS, said on October 30 that it would soon send a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza via Egypt.

Kolivand said the ship would carry aid provided by the Iranian people to Egypt and then will be delivered to Gaza via Egypt.

“So far, a lot of aid from the people has been delivered to the Red Crescent Society,” Kolivand said, according to Fars News.

The Iranian official also criticized the pace at which aid is getting into Gaza. He said aid is being delivered to Gaza very slowly and in a very limited amount.

“So far, perhaps no more than 90 aid trucks from the people have been delivered to Gaza,” Kolivand said.

The IRCS has launched an aid collection campaign since the start of the Israeli aggression against Gaza. The Iranian people have donated a considerable amount of money in humanitarian aid to the IRCS to be ultimately delivered to the besieged Gaza Strip.

MT/MG