These videos are stark evidence of the life-threatening conditions in which the hostages are being held. We know families watching these videos are horrified and heartbroken by the conditions they see their loved ones held in.
Hostage-taking is strictly prohibited according to international humanitarian law. Persons deprived of liberty must be afforded humane treatment and acceptable conditions. They must urgently receive the medical care and attention they require.
All forms of public exposure that humiliate persons deprived of liberty and endanger their safety must be avoided.
We have said from day one, and we reiterate, that all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.
As long as hostages remain in captivity, we stand ready to fulfill our role as a neutral humanitarian intermediary, and to facilitate the release of all the hostages at any stage.
We also reiterate our call to be granted access to the hostages, so we can assess their condition, give them medical support and facilitate contact with their families.
This dire situation must come to an end now.
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.
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