This operation was carried out at the request of the parties and in close coordination with them. Throughout these release operations, the ICRC was focused on ensuring the transfers were safe and dignified. Specialized ICRC staff, including doctors, were on hand to provide immediate medical care and attention as needed.
The ICRC calls for the continued implementation of the agreement to allow more families to receive their loved ones for dignified burial. The ICRC stands ready to further support the transfer of remains of the deceased, as per the agreement by parties.
To date, the ICRC has facilitated the release and transfer of 172 hostages and 3,472* detainees since October 2023 as part of ceasefire agreements. These operations are a powerful testament to how the ICRC’s role as a neutral intermediary can save and change lives, provided that the parties come to an agreement. It is crucial that all the relevant actors abide by their commitments to uphold human dignity, and end the pain and suffering endured by so many.
Note to editors:
* Correction: Due to an administrative error, the original number of Palestinian detainees transferred to Gaza by the ICRC was mistakenly given as 1,809. The correct figure for the latest operation is 1,808. The overall figures have been adjusted accordingly. We ask that media use these figures in their reporting.
The ICRC will not be providing any footage of released hostages or detainees during these operations. This is out of respect for the dignity of those released and the condition they may be in, as well as issues linked to their safety. We strongly recommend that media outlets do the same.
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 situations of 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.
