The IRC forced to suspend programming in Gaza City amidst Israeli military takeover

New York, NY, September 18, 2025 - Bob Kitchen, Vice President of Emergencies at the IRC, said,

"Last week, we had warned about the humanitarian impact of a Gaza City takeover. Alongside the catastrophic humanitarian impact on civilians who have had to evacuate their homes, our staff are relocating to protect themselves from the military offensive. As a result, we and our partners have been forced to close almost all of our programming. Nutrition treatment for malnourished children and pregnant women has stopped, and our protection services for women and children who have experienced violence have been interrupted-though we continue to monitor cases as families relocate. With Gaza's water supply destroyed, we are still delivering emergency water trucking in Gaza city which is a lifeline for those we serve, whilst also closely monitoring the risks faced by our staff."