TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has condemned the airstrike on the headquarters of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis, Gaza, by Israeli forces.

“Urgent: One Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) staff member was killed and three others injured after Israeli forces targeted the Society’s headquarters in Khan Younis, igniting a fire on the building’s first floor,” PRCS announced in a post on X on Sunday. 

Following the attack, Pirhossein Kolivand, the head of the IRCS, in a message to PRCS President Younis Al-Khatib, strongly condemned the deliberate targeting of the Organization, calling it immoral. 

The full message of the IRCS reads as follows:

“It is with deep sorrow and regret that we received the news of the airstrike on the headquarters of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of several dedicated relief workers of your esteemed organization. This tragic event has profoundly saddened me and the entire family of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

While extending our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to you, the bereaved families, your fellow humanitarian colleagues, and the resilient people of Palestine, we strongly condemn this illegal and immoral act, which is in clear violation of the Fundamental Principles of International Humanitarian Law.

Targeting relief and medical centers as well as humanitarian personnel while performing life-saving missions constitutes a blatant breach of the Geneva Conventions and a flagrant violation of the principles of neutrality, independence, and protection of humanitarian operations during armed conflicts. Such crimes must not go unanswered or uninvestigated by the international community. The Iranian Red Crescent Society, in full solidarity with your national society, declares its readiness for any legal follow-up, humanitarian support, and coordinated regional or international actions.”

The official ended the letter, hoping for a swift recovery of those wounded.

Red crescent societies approve of IRCS call to help Gaza 

Red crescent societies of Russia, Norway, Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Qatar have supported the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s call for taking immediate actions to help address the catastrophic human crisis in Gaza.

Kolivand wrote a letter to the World Health Organization and red crescent societies on July 26, urgently requesting them to ‘facilitate the delivery of medicines and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip’, and take immediate steps to advocate for affected people in Gaza. 

Addressing his counterparts in red crescent societies, through his letter titled ‘Urgent Call to Action: Advocate for Immediate Governmental Intervention to Address the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza’, he called on red crescent societies to take immediate steps to advocate for the affected people in Gaza. 

The IRCS called upon national societies to urgently issue public statements, actively engage their government, and exert strong diplomatic pressure to halt all hostilities and violence impacting civilians and humanitarian operations in Gaza; facilitate unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and medical services; and hold perpetrators accountable and end impunity for International Humanitarian Law.

MT/MG