MANAMA, Bahrain — In an interview on the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue conference, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross Pierre Krahenbuhl described Gaza’s humanitarian crisis as unlike anything he has witnessed in more than 20 years.

Israel continues to launch deadly airstrikes on Gaza despite a US-brokered ceasefire that came into effect Oct. 10. The death toll in the besieged enclave has risen to more than 230 people since then. The humanitarian situation remains desperate amid persistent allegations of atrocities committed against Palestinian civilians during the conflict that was ignited by the mass slaughter of Israeli civilians and security forces by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

Aid workers, whose work remains critical for the survival of the remaining population, are among the targets. On Oct. 13, the United Nations reported that an average of four aid workers had been killed every week in the Gaza Strip since the start of 2025 alone and at least 565 since the start of the conflict. 

The ICRC, an impartial humanitarian organization lauded for its work in conflicts across the globe, has since 2023 been denied access by Israeli authorities to detention facilities holding Palestinian prisoners.