ICRC office in Gaza hit by shelling, dozens injured

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its office in the Gaza Strip was hit by mortar fire, killing at least 22 people taking shelter nearby and injuring dozens.

The ICRC said heavy artillery shells fell just metres from the ICRC staff offices and accommodation on the afternoon of June 21.

The committee did not name the suspected perpetrators of the large-caliber projectiles, but confirmed that they damaged the structure of the ICRC office, an area where hundreds of displaced people live in tents.

Following the shelling, 22 bodies and 45 wounded were taken to a nearby field hospital. The ICRC said it had received reports of possible further casualties.

The committee also stressed that shelling so close to humanitarian facilities, whose locations are known to all parties to the conflict and clearly marked with the Red Cross symbol, endangers the lives of civilians and Red Cross staff. The serious security incident is one of several that have occurred in recent days.

Meanwhile, according to the health authorities in the Gaza Strip, 25 people were killed and 50 injured in the shelling. The agency said that the shelling carried out by Israel targeted tents for displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area around the ICRC office.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman denied the allegations, saying the incident was "looking into."

Also on June 21, the United Nations declared that it is Israel's responsibility to restore public order and safety in the Palestinian territory of Gaza so that humanitarian aid can be delivered there.

Speaking to reporters, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that there was a situation of "complete lawlessness" in Gaza, where the organization warned of imminent famine for 2.3 million people after more than eight months of conflict between the Hamas Islamic Movement and Israel.

Most of the trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza have been looted. However, Israel has prevented the United Nations from using Palestinian civilian police to protect the aid.

Meanwhile, on June 21, the Cuban government announced that it would join the lawsuit initiated by South Africa against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for allegedly committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

Cuba's Foreign Ministry said it has decided to join as a third state in South Africa's lawsuit against Israel before the ICJ.

Cuba pledged to “support and contribute as much as possible to legitimate international efforts to end the genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Cuba, a traditional ally of Palestine, has strongly condemned Israel's military operations in Gaza from the very beginning.

Along with Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Libya have also joined the South African-led legal effort. Several other countries have also expressed interest in supporting the initiative.