Red Cross: Israel leaves wounded to die, 'shocking scenes'

08 Jan 2009

Red Cross demands immediate access into Gaza from Israel, after its aid workers run into 'shocking scenes' of weak children and dead mothers.

Aid workers and four Palestine Red Crescent ambulances crossed over to the Zaytun district of Gaza City on Wednesday, where they found four emaciated children laying beside their dead mothers in a house containing 12 bodies, said a statement released by the international Committee of the Red Cross.

Although the relief worker encountered other wounded Palestinians and three more corpses in nearby houses, Israeli soldiers ordered the rescue team to leave the area, the statement added.

"This is a shocking incident… the Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded. Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded," said the head of the aid agency's delegation for Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Pierre Wettach.

In the statement, the ICRC demanded immediate access to Gaza City neighborhoods that have come under Israeli fire, to search for survivors.

The past thirteen days of Israeli military onslaught in Gaza have claimed the lives of over 710 Palestinians, including 100 women and 220 Children. Mosques, UN-run schools, and hospitals have been among places targeted by the Israeli military.

This is while Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said last week on Monday that "We do not want to hit children and women and we will not prevent humanitarian aid."

Ambulances have come under fire and many aid workers have been killed in the Israeli attacks, such as Palestinian Red Crescent medic Arafa Abdul, and CARE International's Mohammed Ibrahim Samouni.