This year has seen human devastation reach an “unprecedented scale” and the “intense trauma” from the Israel-Hamas war will likely impact people for decades, a Red Cross aid worker has said.

The desperate situation brought about by conflict, earthquakes and floods across various parts of the globe can leave “deep trauma and psychological impacts on those affected”, especially children, Rory Moylan said.

Reflecting on the year’s events, the head of region for Europe and the Middle East at the British Red Cross told PA: “The fact we’ve had cause to launch four emergency appeals this year gives you an idea of the scale of the humanitarian support that is needed right now.”

He described a “desperate situation” in Gaza, where colleagues in the International Committee of the Red Cross have told of children becoming sick as they face winter without proper clothing, having fled their homes to escape the bombing of the past two months.

As the Israeli military assault continues, the UN has warned that more than half a million people in Gaza are starving due to “woefully insufficient” quantities of food entering the territory.

Mr Moylan added: “The conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory has created a desperate situation with staggering humanitarian needs and intolerable suffering.

“The people of Gaza need huge amounts of humanitarian support just to meet their most basic needs. Winter will only make it harder to meet those needs.”

Mr Moylan spoke of the lasting impact likely to be felt by those living there, saying: “If the fighting stops tomorrow, the reconstruction and the recovery will take a decade or more.

“Mentally, people won’t ever recover in some cases.”

Calls for a ceasefire have been growing, with thousands of Palestinian lives lost in the past two months.

Mr Moylan added: “Conflicts and disasters will undoubtedly have ongoing, long-term psychological impact on people and especially children across the world. These impacts will be felt long after our attention in the UK has shifted to other crises.

“In Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the intense trauma will impact people for decades.”