THE International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced today that blockaded Gaza Strip it still has fuel to run the generators, but they may run out in a few hours.

“From what we understand there is still fuel — but probably only for a few hours — to run the generators, including the generators in the hospitals,” Frabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East, said during a press conference.

In retaliation for Hamas’ attack on it, Israel has imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million people, and launched the heaviest bombing campaign against the enclave in 75 years of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Carboni stressed that it is vital to be able to safely distribute the humanitarian aid already inside Gaza. He also noted that supplies in the enclave are running out, estimating that the humanitarian situation in Gaza will be “very soon out of control.”

Although the ICRC has stocks of some basic necessities, such as fuel for the generators and chlorine for the water distribution network, the constant shelling does not allow their distribution.

“Security conditions do not allow us to move freely,” explained Carboni. “We have no other choice, if there is an agreement (to guarantee the safety of aid workers), we will trust it,” he said, while five members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent network have already been killed since the start of the hostilities.

He insisted that a humanitarian corridor — something the UN has also called for — is necessary to bring basic necessities, medical supplies and fuel for power generation into the Palestinian enclave.

For his part, Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said today that his country will not allow basic goods or humanitarian aid to enter Gaza until the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas releases the people kidnapped by Israel on Saturday.

“Humanitarian aid in Gaza? “No electrical switch will turn on, no faucet will run and no fuel tanker will enter until the kidnapped Israelis have returned to their homes,” he stressed in a statement.

The ICRC official had earlier denounced in a statement that “the human misery caused by this escalation is appalling and I implore both sides to limit the suffering of civilians.”

Homers

At the same time, Carboni had noted in this announcement that the ICRC is in contact with Hamas and the Israeli authorities in order to release the hostages held by the Palestinian movement in Israel.

“As a neutral mediator we are ready to carry out humanitarian visits, to facilitate communication between the hostages and their family members as well as any release”, he had explained.

At the press conference, Carboni clarified that contacts with Hamas are “daily”, but refused to give more information, mainly on whether or not the ICRC knows where the hostages are.

“We talk every day, we can but we don’t negotiate”, he noted, explaining that this is not the role of the humanitarian organization.

Taking hostages is prohibited under international humanitarian law and all those held should be released immediately, Carboni added.

Dozens of Israelis and foreigners — soldiers, civilians, women and children — are believed to be in the hands of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities have counted 150 hostages, while hundreds of people are still missing and bodies have not yet been identified.