"Herzog Calls for Red Cross Intervention to Aid Captives Facing Immediate Threats"
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is playing a crucial role in providing medical assistance and intervening in the critical situation of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The ICRC seeks immediate and unconditional access to the hostages to assess their health, provide medical care, deliver food, and facilitate communication with their families.
The ICRC has repeatedly called for the release of all hostages, emphasizing that hostage-taking is prohibited under international humanitarian law. The organisation has already facilitated the release of 148 hostages and 1,709 detainees in the region, acting as a neutral intermediary upon request from the parties involved, but it does not negotiate agreements itself.
Israeli authorities, including President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have urged the ICRC to intervene urgently to provide medical assistance to the hostages, who are reported to be in critical condition and deliberately starved, a violation of international humanitarian law.
Netanyahu accused Hamas of inflicting systematic starvation on the hostages, a brutal manipulation that is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The hostages are reportedly being subjected to physical and psychological abuse and are visibly starving, as evidenced by footage of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, which shows their bones protruding from their skin due to starvation.
The ICRC's role includes advocating in diplomatic dialogue for safe and sustained humanitarian access to hostages, providing medical aid, food, and hygiene supplies to hostages where possible, facilitating visits and contact between hostages and their families, and acting as a neutral facilitator in the release operations of detainees and hostages. The ICRC continues to press all parties for agreements to enable these actions, emphasizing the urgent need to alleviate suffering and save lives.
Netanyahu urged the international community to cease all direct and indirect support for Hamas and Islamic Jihad, stating that their actions violate international law and the Geneva Convention. He compared the situation to Nazi crimes and called on the international community to denounce Hamas and Islamic Jihad for their actions.
[1] International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), About us, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.icrc.org/en/who-we-are/about-us
[2] International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Our work, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.icrc.org/en/our-work
[3] Israeli President's Office, President Herzog urges immediate action to assist Israeli hostages, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.president.gov.il/en/media/pressreleases/president-herzog-urges-immediate-action-to-assist-israeli-hostages
[4] Prime Minister of Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu speaks with Julien Lerisso, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in the region, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.pmo.gov.il/en/MediaCenter/39124
[5] International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Hostages, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.icrc.org/en/what-we-do/site-articles/hostages
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is not only active in providing medical assistance to hostages in times of conflict, but also advocates for mental health and general news issues, underlining its commitment to global humanitarian work.
- Recognizing the role of science and health-and-wellness in society, the ICRC supports initiatives aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and raising awareness about the importance of mental health, especially among individuals affected by war and conflicts.
- Beyond its primary focus on conflict zones, the ICRC takes a keen interest in crime-and-justice matters, endeavoring to ensure access to justice for victims and their families while addressing the pressing need for reforms in the criminal justice system on both national and international levels.
