“A lasting ceasefire is critical to saving lives and breaking the cycle of death and destruction,” said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric. “Our teams are ready to act as a neutral humanitarian intermediary to help bring hostages and detainees back to their families. We are also prepared to bring aid into Gaza and distribute it safely to civilians in desperate need.”
Hostages remain in captivity and their families are desperate for the safe return of the living, and closure and proper burial for the dead. Thousands of Palestinian detainees are still in custody and their families anxiously await their release.
Civilians in Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering due to relentless hostilities and severe restrictions on life-saving aid. Humanitarian assistance must resume at full capacity and be distributed safely to people in need wherever they are.
The ICRC has facilitated the release of 148 hostages and 1,931 detainees since October 2023. The ICRC has also facilitated the return of human remains, allowing families to mourn their loved ones with dignity. These operations are highly complex and require meticulous logistical and security planning. The ICRC has consistently called, both publicly and privately, for all release operations to be done in a way that is both safe and dignified.
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
For more information, please contact: press@icrc.org
