Red Cross/Red Crescent head calls for end to attacks on humanitarian workers

ANTALYA, Türkiye

The CEO of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Saturday called for an end to attacks on humanitarian workers worldwide, mentioning in particular the problems in getting aid to the embattled Gaza Strip.

“Getting humanitarian assistance to Gaza has been very, very difficult, and for the last more than a month, no aid has been entering the country,” Jagan Chapagain told Anadolu during Türkiye’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum, taking place this weekend. Israel halted the entry of all humanitarian aid to Gaza on March 2.

“We have asked, really, that ... killings of the humanitarian workers must stop everywhere in the world,” he said, adding that “fundamental principles and international emergency law must be respected.”

“In the world now, we have multiple crises happening, multiple disasters happening, multiple conflict happening,” Jagan explained.

“One of the tragedies” is the lack of political solutions to crises, he said, meaning that they start, but “never end, and new crises keep on coming.”

“So you have crisis after crisis, crisis after crisis. This is not a sustainable situation,” Jagan said, adding: “The only way we can start turning the tide is through diplomacy, through engagement.”

ANTALYA, Türkiye

“In the world now, we have multiple crises happening, multiple disasters happening, multiple conflict happening,” Jagan explained.

“One of the tragedies” is the lack of political solutions to crises, he said, meaning that they start, but “never end, and new crises keep on coming.”