Ebola in DRC: A race against time to save lives

Innovative partnership between IFRC and The Nature Conservancy equips Caribbean communities to combat climate crisis

Geneva/Panama, 21 February 2024: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have successfully prepared over 3,000 people in the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Jamaica to adapt to the climate crisis. Leveraging coastal habitats to reduce risk, this initiative merges cutting-edge conservation science with disaster preparedness.Central to this success is the Resilient Islands Project, an IFRC-TNC collaboration that redefines community resilience by utilizing nature’s protective power against the climate crisis. This approach is critical in the Caribbean, where the proximity of 70% of the population to the coast underscores their vulnerability .In Grenada, the project has designed a climate-smart fisher facility, featuring twenty-one lockers, rainwater harvesting capabilities, and solar energy for electricity generation. Additional benefits include a jetty for ease of access to and from the fishers’ boats and the planting of coastal vegetation to enhanced near-shore habitat, reduced erosion and filtered runoff. These solutions make small-scale fishing safer and more sustainable.Eddy Silva, The Nature Conservancy Project Manager, underscores the broader implications:"The lessons learned from Resilient Islands will increase awareness of climate resilience and help scale up efforts at the local and national levels in all small island developing states across the Caribbean. At a time when weather-related hazards and rising ocean temperatures are becoming more extreme and destructive, this program has demonstrated that mangroves, coral reefs, and reforestation can save lives and livelihoods.”Protecting, managing, and restoring these ecosystems is key to limit people's exposure and vulnerability to hazards. The IFRC and TNC show that this should be done through laws, policies, and climate-resilient development plans that promote science-based decision making, improve early- warning systems and anticipate climate-related disasters.In Jamaica, the Resilient Islands program has enhanced the existing national vulnerability ranking index by including ecosystems indicators. This allows agencies to monitor and measure not only community vulnerability levels but also the habitats’ capacity to protect people and livelihoods.Local actors have also played a critical role in ensuring that climate change solutions are responsive to local needs, inclusive and sustainable.Martha Keays, IFRC Regional Director for the Americas, highlights the indispensable role of local engagement:“One significant lesson learned by the Resilient Islands program is that there is no resilience without localization. Nature-based solutions are community-based solutions, and local actors, including Red Cross volunteers, should be at the core of its design and implementation. We have also learned that change is more likely when complementary organizations work together. The alliance between IFRC and TNC is a model of the innovation, generosity and vision the world needs to address the climate crisis, arguably the greatest challenge of our time.”Dr. Rob Brumbaugh, The Nature Conservancy Caribbean's Executive Director, reflects on the partnership's unique synergy:“The project is a model approach for bringing together organizations with very different but very complementary capabilities. TNC with expertise in cutting-edge conservation science, data and conservation techniques, and the IFRC, the world’s leader in the disaster planning and response.”The Resilient Islands Project is a five-year initiative collaboratively implemented by the IFRC and TNC with support from the German Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI). The program officially ended with a closing ceremony and project review in Panama City on February 20, 2024.To request an interview or for more information, please contact IFRC at [email protected] or the Nature Conservancy at [email protected] Geneva:Mrinalini Santhanam +41 76 381 5006In Panama:Susana Arroyo Barrantes +50684161771

Red Cross Mental Health Response to the International Armed Conflict in Ukraine (2022-2025)

This publication provides an overview of IFRC’s project: “Provision of quality and timely psychological first aid to people affected by the Ukraine crisis in impacted countries.” Carried out with the support of the EU4Health programme, this historic partnership between the European Commission and the IFRC, implemented on the ground by 28 National Societies, stands as one of the largest responses to mental health challenges ever implemented by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (the Movement). This publication outlines the project’s key approaches and achievements and provides recommendations for future initiatives. It illustrates how the project evolved over time – continuously adapting and refining its methods – to deliver effective, impactful and sustainable support that has significantlyimproved the mental health and wellbeing of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

Africa Zero Hunger campaign: The post-aid approach to food insecurity

Food insecurity is an escalating crisis on the African continent. Many of its most vulnerable people are reliant on emergency aid, which does little to address the systemic causes of widespread hunger.For Pierre Kremer, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Regional office, Deputy Regional Director, the Africa Zero Hunger campaign represents something completely different: a shift from short-term fixes to investment in long-term solutions.Solutions backed by local knowledgeWith 48 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, more than 16,000 local branches, and more than 16 million volunteers deeply embedded in communities, Kremer and his colleagues have a unique vantage point on how hunger is lived and solved in Africa.When Kremer talks about tackling food insecurity, he doesn’t start with aid shipments or top-down plans. He starts with people.“The goal is to give a voice to communities that are well placed to ‘engineer’ or co-create solutions to meet their multifaceted needs based on their local knowledge,” he explains.In this way, the Africa Zero Hunger campaign represents a “solutions bank”, a growing collection of proven, community-led initiatives that show what works against food insecurity on the ground. From livestock sharing schemes in Rwanda to Mother’s Clubs in Nigeria, these solutions are practical, replicable, and already changing lives.“This campaign reflects a post-aid approach, focusing on durable solutions generated by the impacted communities themselves,” says Kremer.Building a coalition of the willingBut for these local solutions to move beyond a single village or district, they need more than recognition. They need investment, partnerships, and political will.“The objective is to create a coalition of the willing, from local communities to national governments and global actors, working alongside African institutions, the private sector, and UN agencies to ramp up efforts toward Zero Hunger,” Kremer explains.The first phase of the campaign is already underway, with case studies, media assets, and community stories being documented across six priority countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.The mid-term plan is to expand this into an online multi-agency platform. This digital hub would act as the home of the solutions bank, a space where the National Societies can deposit solutions, and where donors, investors, and partners can connect directly with them.What’s missing is not ideas, but the support to take them further. Creating a bank of solutions offers a ready-made platform for governments, donors, and partners to back what works, directly at community level. For Kremer, this will allow us to move beyond aid and build the foundations for lasting food security across Africa.Ways to get involvedYou can help take community-led solutions from one community to many. Donors can support Africa Zero Hunger directly and help turn local solutions into wider change. And if giving isn’t an option, you can still make an impact by sharing these stories, sparking conversations, and adding your voice to the call for Zero Hunger in Africa.Join the Zero Hunger Campaign:Africa Zero Hunger: United for durable solutionsConfronting alarming food insecurity trends in Africa: An expert’s viewFrom short-term aid to long-term strength: Launching Africa Zero Hunger

From short-term aid to long-term strength: Launching Africa Zero Hunger

On 19 August 2025, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) officially launched the Africa Zero Hunger: United for Durable Solutionscampaign — a bold, Africa-wide movement to change the way we respond to food insecurity.Moderated by award-winning journalist Victoria Rubadiri, the virtual launch brought together policymakers, humanitarian leaders, grassroots innovators, and partners who share a common vision: a future where the communities hardest hit by food security can become part of the solution. Click here to watch the official launch of the Africa Zero Hunger campaign and hear experts discuss what durable, community-led solutions look like in action.Why Now?The numbers are staggering. Over 282 million people are undernourished in Sub-Saharan Africa, almost one-third of the world’s food-insecure population. In 2024 alone, 173 million people faced acute food insecurity or worse, with women and children disproportionately affected.This is not simply the result of bad harvests or temporary crises. It is the outcome of deep-rooted, structural challenges: climate shocks, violent conflict, displacement, and fragile food and social protection systems.But the crisis also presents an opportunity. It’s a chance to reset the humanitarian approach. Traditional aid models are struggling to leave a lasting impact, yet across Africa, communities are already designing, leading, and scaling solutions that work. The Zero Hunger Campaign aims to accelerate and replicate those efforts.Watch this video to learn more about the ongoing hunger emergency unfolding across AfricaWhat makes this campaign differentThe IFRC and its network of 191 National Societies, including more than 16 million volunteers globally, are uniquely positioned to bridge local knowledge and large-scale impact."It represents a turning point,” said Pierre Kremer, Deputy Regional Director, IFRC Africa. “It’s moving from short-term food aid to lasting, community-driven change. For Africa, it’s a rallying call to end hunger by harnessing local ingenuity, climate-smart practices, and sustainable livelihoods."From mothers’ clubs in Nigeria that reduce malnutrition at a fraction of the cost of traditional aid programs, to integrated food and livelihoods initiatives in Kenya that combine climate-smart farming with savings and health programs — the proof is already on the ground.The launch of the Zero Hunger Campaign is just the first step. Over the coming months, we will be publishing a regular newsletter that will bring you:Progress updates from the six launch countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, DRC, Mali, Nigeria, and ZimbabweSpotlights on local innovators — from women farmers to youth climate activists to volunteers on the groundEvidence and impact stories, showing how durable solutions are transforming livesOpportunities to get involvedSign up for the newsletter by clicking here.Our goal? To reach 60 million vulnerable people in 15 countries by 2030 and to prove that durable, locally-led solutions can be scaled sustainably.This is Africa’s moment to lead, but durable change requires collective action from governments, donors, private sector investors, civil society, media, and the African diaspora.Join us. Share the vision. Invest in durable solutions.Visit the campaign website to learn more, explore stories, and get involved.

For the Dominican Red Cross every day is first aid day

When Walexi Castillo Reyes was a young volunteer at the age of 18, he responded to an emergency on a crowded beach in the Dominican Republic.A man in severe respiratory distress needed urgent help. Luckily, Castillo had recently completed a first aid training, so he was able to administer oxygen and emergency medication. He was able to stabilise the patient and get him to hospital. Years later, the man recognised him in a public place and approached him to thank him for saving his life and to tell him that he had joined the Red Cross in his community. This is just one of the stories that reflect the transformative power of first aid, not only in saving lives, but in creating connections that spread the principle of humanity. National Training Centre The "Centro Nacional de Capacitación Doctora Ligia Leroux de Ramírez", named in honour of a medical and humanitarian figure in the Dominican Republic, is the heart of first aid training in the country. For the past five years, Castillo has directed the school, combining his experience as an emergency physician with more than three decades as a member of the Red Cross. This initiative has allowed the Dominican Red Cross to multiply its reach and capacity to save lives throughout the Dominican Republic.It offers a full range of courses, from basic first aid (BAP), basic life support (BLS) and pediatric first aid (PAP) to advanced technical training in pre-hospital care, water rescue, risk management and other disciplines.Joining forces to multiply the impactThe centre offers both internal and external training. Internal training is aimed at staff and volunteers from all Red Cross branches throughout the country. External training is offered to companies, mainly in the tourism sector. "At the moment, the centre gives up to ten courses a month, both internally and externally (...) We recently had our first meeting with more than 50 instructors in the different disciplines we work in," says Castillo.First aid training is not limited to the classroom. The Red Cross also manages the national 9-1-1 emergency service, so training staff and volunteers in the branches is crucial to ensuring a fast and effective local response."In September, which is First Aid Month, we go to the media to provide basic first aid information and show the community how to activate the 9-1-1 emergency system". The centre has also established important partnerships with public institutions such as the National Institute of Technical and Vocational Education (INFOTEP), the National Institute of Teacher Training and Education (INAFOCAM) and the National Institute of Integrated Childcare (INAIPI). In collaboration with INFOTEP, the centre offers the Emergency Medical Technician course. There are currently 50 students in training.The partnership with INAFOCAM has enabled all INAIPI staff to be trained in pediatric first aid."We created a pediatric first aid manual to train all INAIPI staff. It was a wonderful experience. We saw that the course was very satisfactory for all the people who took part, and for the Dominican Red Cross it is a very important achievement", said the centre's director. Innovative facilities and resourcesMedicine and emergency techniques are constantly evolving. The National Training Centre is committed to keeping its training programmes up to date with the latest practices and technologies. The centre is equipped with modern facilities, including classrooms, laboratories and a recently opened advanced simulation centre. These resources enable effective hands-on training with simulators for techniques such as intubation, tracheotomy and basic electrocardiogram, among others. "Our goal is to be a leading first aid and pre-hospital care centre that trains all volunteers in the Caribbean," concluded the doctor.The impact of first aid training goes beyond the immediate response to an emergency. The knowledge and skills acquired in these courses can save lives and also increase the ability to act in critical situations.As the story of Dr Castillo Reyes - and the Dominican Red Cross First Aid Training Centre - shows, every person trained in first aid has the potential to save lives and pass that knowledge on to those around them. This creates a powerful multiplier effect, making the whole community stronger and safer.Read more about the IFRC's approach to first aid:First Aid in the IFRC NetworkGlobal First Aid Reference Centre

Republic of Congo: Congolese Red Cross at the forefront of fighting the mpox outbreak

Along the southern banks of the Congo River lies a group of villages in the Mpouya district.This is where Roch Boetou-Kadilamio, Disaster Management Coordinator for the Congolese Red Cross (CRC), noticed a woman displaying possible signs of mpox in early february.“She was interacting with other community members as she waited for her turn to receive household items distributed by CRC to families displacedby recent floods,” Roch explains.Many African states, including the Republic of Congo, have weak health care systems characterized by inadequate surveillance, diagnostics and patient-care facilities to effectively and efficiently control the spread of diseases, including the recent sharp increase in mpox cases in many countries.The Republic of Congo shares a more than 1.700-kilometer-long border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – the current epicenter of the mpox – leaving it at very high risk of imported cases.For this reason, the IFRC has taken a regional approach, launching an emergency appeal in August 2024 to fund operations across numerous countries already impacted by Mpox, or that are stepping up prevention measures in hopes of limiting the disease's spread.Early warning allows early actionBeing on the ground in the village and trained to monitor risks allowed Roch to identify the suspected mpox case and report it forward to health authorities for follow up and mitigation efforts. This was possible due to a Disaster Risk Reduction programme, implemented by CRC in partnership with the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), which aims to strengthen the capacity of communities to anticipate, respond to and quickly recover from disasters.“We train communities to be aware of potential risks including health risks, detect them early, and seek help timely to reduce further spread of disease and deaths,” said Dr. Lambert Boteya Djoke, Head of Health and Social Actionfor the CRC.Through a network of local and trusted community volunteers, with support from the CRC staff, volunteers send alerts to national health information systems via local health centers. Alerts can also be sent to the Congolese Red Crossheadquartersusing a toll-free telephone number.“For the woman at the distribution center who was suspected to have mpox, we quickly alerted the nearest health center but also the health authorities, including the Ministry of Health,”explains Dr. Lambert. “They swiftly visited the site together with a team from the World Health Organization, took samples for testing and once confirmed positive, followed up with other measures.”Accessing even the most remote villages with critical public health informationThe Congolese Red Cross, as an auxiliary to the government, is actively supporting authorities in preparing for and responding to the mpox outbreak. Given its extensive volunteer network of more than 30,000 community volunteers across the country, of which 15,000 can be rapidly mobilized, CRC supports in reaching the most vulnerable and remote communities with critical information to mitigate and prevent the spread of mpox.“We have communities who live in the forests who cannot easily access public information," saysNadège Blandine Mabika, the CRC’s focal point Community Engagement and Accountability, Gender and Inclusion, and National Society Development. "We also have communities by the river who routinely cross the border into DRC for trade, medical care and other essential services unchecked. All these communities need to be reached if we are to control the spread of mpox."Facing a surging outbreak of a disease with patterns are evolving and not yet adequately understood, the Congolese Red Cross, along with the entire IFRC regional network, remains committed to preventing, controlling and responding to the mpox outbreak for as long as needed.Learn more about Mpox:What is Mpox: Your questions answeredHow volunteers are making the difference in the DRC

Israel / Palestine conflict: our response so far 

As the escalation of hostilities in Israel and Palestine enters its ­­fourth ­­month, the conflict continues to take the lives of civilians, disrupt the delivery of life-saving medical care, interrupt critical services that people rely on to survive, and leave families grieving the loss of loved ones. The IFRC has called on all parties for humanitarian access across Gaza and West Bank, the release of hostages, the protection of civilians, hospitals and humanitarian workers from indiscriminate attack and compliance with international humanitarian law. Among those killed have been humanitarian aid and health workers who lost their lives while trying to save others, as well as people seeking safety and care at health facilities. IFRC and National Society response Meanwhile, IFRC member National Societies in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories continue to respond to urgent humanitarian needs and to provide life-saving assistance and other essential services. The IFRC, meanwhile, is supporting its National Societies Magen David Adom in Israel and the Palestinian Red Crescent in their on-going, live-saving work. Israel Magen David Adom in Israel (MDA) has been supporting affected communities since the beginning, with ambulance and medical services on call 24/7. Staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly, putting their lives and well-being in harm's way to tend to the wounded and deceased. A total of 1,500 ambulances and 10,000 first responders (EMTs and paramedics) have been mobilized. Since 7 October, they have treated over 4,000 patients. These staff members and volunteers have been working under difficult and dangerous circumstances. Tragically, several volunteers and staff have died in line of duty, killed while treating patients. Several others also suffered major or minor injuries while on duty. Ambulances have also come under attack at various times during the hostilities. The MDA has also supported the Ministry of Health in the transfer of patients and the evacuation of bed-ridden people close to the border. MDA is also helping communities prepare in case of further escalation. For example, the National Society offers free, first-aid training focusing on trauma care. It has also gathered, tested and processed over 50,000 units of blood to supply ambulances, mobile intensive care units, hospitals and clinics. Palestine As the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip continues to worsen, Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) teams are working around the clock in extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances. Already, several PRCS volunteers have been killed in the escalating violence. Most recently, on 10 January 2024, four PRCS ambulance crew members were killed along with two patients when their ambulance was hit. Earlier in January, continuous shelling near the Al-Amal Hospital and PRCS headquarters in Khan Yunis also resulted in several casualties, including a 5-day old baby, and displaced thousands who were seeking refuge at the hospital. Read the IFRC’s statement condemining the attacks here. In the meantime, the combination of shelling around health care facilities — along with a lack of supplies and fuel, power and communications outages, damage to infrastructure and mounting demand — is pushing Gaza’s severely damaged health services to the brink of collapse. For the people of Gaza, there are also drastic shortages of critical basic necessities, such as fuel, water, food and medical supplies. These shortages have also pushed PRCS Emergency Medical Service (EMS) centers to their limits. By late December, two PRCS EMS centers in Gaza and Northern Gaza were out of service, unable to provide emergency response and rescue services due to fuel shortages and restricted access. Hospitals in the North are also non-functional, making humanitarian evacuations impossible. The IFRC commends the bravery of PRCS volunteers and paramedics, many of whom have lost family members or been detained, yet continue to respond selflessly. Life-saving care continues Despite the challenges, PRCS has continued to provide critical, life-saving care. In the Gaza Strip, the PRCS has provided emergency medical care to ­­­roughly 15,000 injured people as of 5 January, 2024. PRCS ambulance crews have also responded following the deaths of more than 5,000 people killed due to the conflict. This life-saving work is being done in the face of regular power and communications blackouts as well as the extreme danger posed by the on-going conflict. Since the beginning of hostilities, PRCS teams have reported shelling very close to their hospitals, ambulance center, main warehouse, and headquarters causing injuries, damaging the buildings and restricting access to the hospitals. Meanwhile, PRCS staff have also distributed relief items to internally displaced families in temporary shelters and at their hospitals. Aid items include food parcels, milk, blankets, mattresses, water as well as some hygiene kits, kitchen sets, and baby necessities. In the West Bank, PRCS has provided emergency medical care to more than 3,700 injured people. Ambulance crews have also transported more than 115 people killed in the fighting. Aid delivery to Gaza so far As of December 31, 2023, more than 5,200 trucks containing medical supplies, food, water and hygiene products were delivered to Gaza and distributed by PRCS and UNRWA. Notably, more than 300 truckloads of humanitarian aid entered North Gaza during a humanitarian pause, while 81 ambulances were also distributed. Following an earlier blockage on all fuel imports,fuel and cooking gas has also been supplied to Gaza, however it still falls far short of what is needed for daily life, basic services and humanitarian response. The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERCS) is at the forefront of the humanitarian response in Gaza, with support from over 39 countries and UN agencies. ERCS volunteers work tirelessly in shifts to ensure that aid is sorted and repackaged for entry into Gaza. In collaboration with PRCS, ERCS is also helping to establish a camp in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, to house displaced people. Additionally, the Qatari Red Crescent is working with PRCS to set up a field hospital in Rafah that will include 50 beds, an ICU, and an operating room. But the aid that has been received is only a drop in the ocean considering the immense needs of Gaza’s two million people. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt In view of the scale of likely needs and in order to complement the PRCS’s response efforts outlined in their appeal, the IFRC will enhance the capacities to respond through an Emergency Appeal by coordinating the response in neighbouring countries to the occupied Palestine Territories. The IFRC will be supporting – in close coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - the response of its membership, as significant humanitarian actors in their own geographies, and strengthen their organizational capacities. The IFRC also launched this Emergency Appeal, the IFRC and its membership seek CHF 30 million (CHF 20 million of which is expected to be raised by the IFRC Secretariat)to support the Lebanese Red Cross, Egyptian Red Crescent, Syrian Arab Red Crescent and Jordanian Red Crescent in preparing and strengthening their response readiness to the potential escalation of hostilities in the region and subsequent humanitarian needs. On 13, October, the IFRC also allocated CHF 1 million from its Disaster Emergency Relief Fund to support a wide range of humanitarian assistance in the occupied Palestinian territories impacted by the hostilities. The highest price Since the escalation of hostilities began on 7 October, the IFRC has decried the fact that civilians are paying the “highest price” in the hostilities and has called on all parties to allow humanitarian organizations to safely access and support people impacted by the crisis. In a joint statement on 14 October, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain and ICRC Director General Robert Mardini said they were “appalled to see the human misery that has unfolded” and that “civilians - including women and children, the elderly, and the wounded and sick - are currently paying the highest price.” “Human suffering is happening on all sides,” the statement said. “And it is always devastating. The death of a son or daughter, a sibling, a parent, is a human tragedy no matter where it happens or who it happens to. Civilian life must be protected on all sides.” The IFRC governing board, which includes National Society leaders from all parts of the globe, also expressed its shock and horror at the “growing humanitarian needs and the mounting loss of life” in a special statement released on 20 October. “This situation underscores the critical importance of access to all civilians, including those held hostage,” the statement continued. Since that time, the IFRC has continued to raise the alarm about an increasingly dire situation. In early November, the IFRC called for “safe and unhindered access across the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages” and most recently, the IFRC released a statement on 5 January 2024 condemning the continuous shelling near the Al-Amal Hospital and PRCS headquarters in Khan Yunis that led to “the loss of innocent civilian lives.” Media enquiries If you are a journalist and would like more information or to request an interview about this emergency, please email [email protected]. Follow these Twitter accounts for the latest updates @IFRC @IFRC_MENA @elsharkawi - IFRC MENA Regional Director, Hossam Elsharkawi @IFRC_Europe @BirgitteEbbesen - IFRC Regional Director for Europe, Birgitte Ebbesen

‘We observed a moment of silence—but we will not be silent’.

By Kate Forbes, President of the IFRCOn Sunday, I received news that left me heartbroken and enraged: eight members from the Palestine Red Crescent Society were killed in Gaza. One member of the National Society remains missing. We stand with their families and colleagues as they await news.They died while doing what many of us in the humanitarian world dedicate our lives to—helping others.Their loss is devastating. But what is even more devastating is that their deaths are not isolated. They are part of a growing and horrifying pattern of violence against humanitarian aid workers.Since the escalation of the conflict, we have lost thirty-six staff members- thirty from the Palestine Red Crescent and six from Magen David Adom. And globally since the beginning of 2025, ten staff members and volunteers were killed while on duty.Those people were not combatants.They were not a threat.They were humanitarians—sons, daughters, parents, colleagues, and friends. They should have been protected.Their deaths are unbearable loss, not only for the Palestine Red Crescent Society but for the entire Red Cross and Red Crescent family.As I reflected on this tragedy, I remembered a moment from my visit to Gaza last year. One of the Palestine Red Crescent staff members looked at me and said, “We are all on the waiting list… the waiting list to die.”Those words haunt me. They always will.Because behind them lies a truth: even in the most dangerous and dehumanizing conditions, there are people who continue to help others—knowing well that every day may be their last.The fact that you know you might die, but you still choose to help others—that is the purest reflection of what it means to be a humanitarian.Yesterday, we observed a moment of silence in IFRC Offices around the world. The flags at the IFRC headquarters in Geneva are flying at half-mast.We paused, we grieved, we remembered.We observed a moment of silence, butwe will not be silent.We cannot be. We must not be.We must continue to raise our voices, collectively and persistently. We must call on governments and decision-makers to uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian law.We must remind them of their legal and moral obligations to protect humanitarian workers.The protection of our staff and volunteers is not optional. It is fundamental to the principles that bind us together as a global community. Every time a Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteer or staff is targeted, every time an ambulance is struck, every time a life is lost while saving another—it tears at the very fabric of humanity.One of our Fundamental Principles - the principle of neutrality - means dealing with consequences, not assigning blame. In practical terms, this means we focus on helping people affected by humanitarian crises instead of pointing fingers at any party. Even amid the anguish of losing colleagues, we adhere to this principle.Yet neutrality does not mean silence or indifference. We do not blame but we do demand justice and accountability when our staff and volunteers are targeted and killed. We raise our voice loudly to condemn these attacks in the strongest terms and to urge that they never go unpunished.As we remember our colleagues and friends we have lost, we recommit ourselves to action.In the name of our fallen colleagues and friends and the communities we help, we call for accountability. We call for justice.Accountability is important for the families and loved ones of all eight members who were killed, for the one who is still missing, for the entire Red Cross and Red Crescent family, and for the whole humanitarian community.

IFRC mourns the killing of another Palestine Red Crescent colleague in Gaza

Geneva, 27 June 2025 - With a heavy heart, we mourn the killing of another Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) colleague in Gaza. Haitham Bassam Abu Issa was a nurse at the PRCS clinic in Deir al-Balah. He was killed while off duty in the city in the central Gaza Strip, on 26 June 2025. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones.This brings the total number of PRCS staff and volunteers killed during the conflict to 50 – a deeply shocking figure. 30 colleagues were killed while on PRCS duty wearing what should have been protective emblems. Those colleagues killed off duty should have been protected like all civilians should be.This is a stark reminder of the desperate situation in Gaza.We stand in sorrow and solidarity with the Palestine Red Crescent Society.We reiterate our calls:• Civilians must be protected.• Humanitarians must be protected.There are no excuses.For more information or to request an interview, please contact:[email protected] Beirut:Mey Al Sayegh: +961 761 744 68 Caroline Haga: +961 81 552 319In Geneva:Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67 

IFRC statement at UN Palestine Conference: More aid must reach Gaza now

Statement at High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State SolutionIFRC statement for the plenary session delivered by IFRC Humanitarian Affairs Advisor, Andrea Canepa on behalf of IFRC Permanent Observer Dylan Winder.Thank you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France for organising this important conference.Much has been said on the unbearable situation being faced by people in Palestine and the challenges humanitarian actors are facing.The humanitarian space to provide life-saving goods and services has been rendered almost non-existent. We have called, since the beginning of this conflict, for an immediate, sustained and unhindered flow of aid to be allowed into Gaza, at the scale needed to meet the immense needs, and in line with universally accepted international rules and principles. This has perhaps never been more urgent as we hear from our Palestine Red Cresent Society colleagues in Gaza. They are receiving people fainting and sick due to hunger at their medical facilities, whilst they cannot even feed themselves or their own children. Member States must ensure access for humanitarian assistance and protection, and they must consider and address the conditions and specific access challenges facing local humanitarian actors such as PRCS. Local humanitarians are often far from the limelight, but they are the ones sustaining what is left of the humanitarian response. PRCS continues to provide a wide array of health services across Gaza, including ambulances and field hospitals, adapting to impossible operational conditions to maintain services and reach people where they are.We cannot accept any mechanism that does not allow humanitarian aid to be distributed in accordance with humanitarian principles. As we have seen, this strips human beings of their dignity, fails to respond to the level and complexity of needs, and creates drastic security risks, including people being killed and injured. PRCS ambulances and hospitals are having to deal with regular mass casualty events with people reporting they were trying to access food at distribution sites. We call on Member States to support longstanding and accepted modes of aid delivery specifically designed to meet humanitarian needs and to protect the dignity and life of the population affected, recognizing the role of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and all those impartially providing a life-saving response.Excellencies,We are also facing a crisis in the protection of civilians, including of humanitarian and medical personnel. Since the start of this crisis, more than 50 PRCS staff and volunteers have been killed, including 30 in the line of duty. This cannot continue. Failure to protect humanitarian workers in Palestine leaves them unprotected everywhere. We have seen Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers killed in the line of duty around the world, including in Magen David Adom, the National Society of Israel. Concrete measures are needed by Member States to provide accountability to the victims, halt further attacks and reinstate respect for the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblem and all humanitarians. This includes ensuring there is accountability for the killing of 8 PRCS members, alongside 7 fellow medics, in March this year, in an attack that was not the first nor the last, but that shocked our collective conscience.We recognize the continuation of the hostage situation, and of the medical and humanitarian personnel being deprived of liberty and call for respect for the life and dignity of all people affected.Lastly, despite its relentless efforts, PRCS is facing extreme and mounting challenges to its operations in Gaza, but also in the West Bank. Conditions and access restrictions in the West Bank severely impact the population and PRCS’ ability to reach people in need. Member States can and must ensure this Conference leads to immediate action to address and prevent further deterioration of the situation in the West Bank, that appropriately address the root causes, and to support and protect the indispensable role of PRCS within the healthcare and humanitarian response. This is a humanitarian catastrophe. More aid must reach Gaza now.Thank you.

'Let’s sleep early so we don’t feel the hunger' - humanitarian workers in Gaza struggling in midst of famine

Geneva, 28 August 2025: Following the IPC’s formal confirmation of famine in Gaza, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) today warns that malnourishment among humanitarian workers is threatening life-saving work.The IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network. Our staff and volunteers are not immune to the hunger facing Gaza right now. They are continuing to risk their own lives for others, while also suffering from hunger and desperately struggling to find food for their families.Many of our colleagues are malnourished and weak, surviving on just one meal a day. But even then, most choose to give that meal to their children. A lack of food kills more slowly, but just as surely as a bomb. Humanitarians need protection fromallthat threatens them.A mother of three tells us how she boils water with tree leaves and tells her daughters it’s juice, just so they can have something to sip. Another staff member at the Palestine Red Crescent (PRCS) shares:“In Gaza, there’s no difference between night and day. Fear has no schedule, and death does not respect sleeping hours. Do you know what it means to get used to hunger? That food becomes a dream. You learn to save a loaf of bread to last the whole day. That you apologise to your children because all you can offer them is: ‘Be patient.’” This is an emergency. Aid is not reaching people safely or at the scale required. Action much be taken, at scale, or more children, more families, more communities will starve.The declaration of famine is not merely a reflection of urgency—it is an unequivocal call to action. Every hour of delay means more lives lost. This catastrophe must be stopped from deepening further.This is a man-made disaster and a failure of humanity. Aid must reach Gaza. NOW.For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected] Beirut:Joanna Daou:+961 71 802 779In Geneva:Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67 Hannah Copeland: +41 76 236 9109

Palestine Red Crescent: Supporting Gaza through winter cold, sudden floods and a crisis of mental health

“We received more than 22,000 aid trucks before the closure of Rafah crossing in May 2024. Since the closure, the Palestine Red Crescent Society only received 58 aid trucks, which is absolutely nothing.”This is how Nebal Farsakh, Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS)’s spokesperson, summed up the tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is now aggravated by harsh winter conditions.Overwhelmed by cold temperatures, heavy rain and flooding, hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are further at risk of diseases and death. Many are living in tents, open spaces or even on the streets, with almost no protection.“Many families in displaced camps don’t have the clothing and equipment needed to protect them from the harsh weather,”Farsakh continued. “Moreover, recent reports say only 20 per cent of shelter needs are being addressed, leaving more than one million people without adequate places to stay.”Displaced people lacking proper winterization for their shelters face serious threats. Severe weather can damage their shelters, and flooding can contaminate water sources, increasing the spread of diseases.Severe winter conditions, compounded with insufficient aid, have severely hampered the ability of PRCS teams to provide essential support. Yet, the challenges don’t end there.Fuel shortages have crippled ambulance services, forcing evacuations to be often conducted on foot in treacherous weather conditions. This places a severe burden on not only PRCS crews but also on the elderly and people with disabilities who must endure long journeys.The impact of displacement, physical hardship, and the constant fear for their safety and well-being has had devastating consequences on the mental health of everyone in Gaza, especially children.“There is ongoing concern for the mental health of everybody in Gaza, and particularly for children who are so deeply traumatized,” Farsakh emphasized. “There are at least 17,000 unaccompanied children or separated from their parents. Most children are not able to go to school; they live under constant bombing and don’t have access to food.”PRCS mental health and psychosocial support teams are working tirelessly to provide a sense of relief. In shelters across South and central Gaza, they’ve organized events featuring performances, games, and other activities to bring moments of joy to children. But the scale of the crisis is overwhelming.A staggering 1.2 million children in Gaza face a heightened risk of long-term mental health consequences if they do not receive the urgent and critical support they require. The psychological impact of this conflict will likely be profound and lifelong for these children unless they are adequately protected and supported.Without a dramatic improvement in humanitarian access and the flow of supplies, people in Gaza will continue to endure significant physical and mental suffering.Meanwhile, food aid and supplies mobilized by the IFRC network are sitting on the tarmac and in warehousesas the challenges in getting the supplies into Gaza continue.“The aid we have received since the closure of the Rafah crossing is negligible, and this is significantly impacting our relief services. We are unable to do our work. People in Gaza are dying of hunger, cold and diseases because they’re not getting the aid they need.”“This cannot go on.”concluded Farsakh.

IFRC statement on the evacuation order of Al Quds hospital in Gaza

We are deeply alarmed to hear that the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) teams at the Al-Quds hospital have again this morning been told to immediately evacuate the hospital. Hospitals are places of help and refuge; they must be protected at all cost. PRCS’s Al-Quds hospital in Gaza city is caring for hundreds of injured people and bed-ridden, long-term patients. Evacuating patients, including those in intensive care, on life-support and babies in incubators, is close to, if not impossible in the current situation. Our teams also report violent attacks and shelling very close to the hospital further endangering people. Al-Quds Hospital is operated by PRCS, a component of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and together with other medical missions and facilities are protected under international humanitarian law. We are deeply concerned about the safety of patients, health care workers and the thousands who have taken refuge in Al-Quds Hospital. Healthcare workers should never be put in front of the impossible dilemma of leaving patients behind or risking their lives staying in the hospital. In the past weeks, we have again and again called for the protection of civilians, hospitals and health care workers. This is not just a moral obligation but also a legal imperative. We urge everyone to exercise restraint and adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law. There is an urgent need to deescalate to save lives, including by ensuring that hospitals can safely operate and allowing for an unhindered, continuous flow of critical humanitarian aid into Gaza. We cannot stress this further. Civilian lives must be protected. Hospitals, doctors and nurses must be protected. We must preserve humanity.

The IFRC calls for safe and unhindered access across the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages

A month since the onsetof violence across Israel and Palestine, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) calls forsafe and unhindered access across the Gaza Stripand the release of hostages seized during the conflict. It also calls upon the diplomatic community to accelerate efforts towards a longer-term peace agreement and a massive scaling up of humanitarian assistance, including fuel. The Magen David Adom (MDA) in Israel and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, both members of the IFRC network, have been responding since the beginning of the hostilities. Staff and volunteers of both National Societies have been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts. And they have seen the violence firsthand. Many have lost friends and family members. Seven members, three of MDA and four of PRCS, have lost their own lives while helping others; many more have been injured. The IFRC repeats its calls for all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law and immediately cease indiscriminate attacks. That means the protection of civilians, healthcare workers and facilities,humanitarian first responders, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, rapid and unimpeded passage for humanitarian aid, including fuel, throughout the entire Gaza Strip and safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers. Civilians, humanitarian aid workers, hospitals and ambulances are not targets and must be protected. It is not possible to evacuate patients and those who care for themfromhospitals; we ask for an end to demands to the contrary. The last month has been the most devastating period of violence ever across Israel and Palestine, killing around twelve thousand people and gravely injuring many more, mostly women and children. The siege of Gaza has caused immense suffering to more than two million people. Both the violence and the siege need to end. We call on all parties forsafe and unhindered access across the Gaza Stripand the release of hostages. Now.