International authorities petition the Red Cross for assistance in a hostage rescue mission in Israel
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate, with over a hundred aid organizations warning of mass starvation. The crisis has been exacerbated by nearly 22 months of war between Israel and Hamas, which started with an unprecedented large-scale attack by Hamas and its allies on October 7, 2023.
In the midst of this dire situation, Hamas has set a condition for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to access Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. The armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, has declared readiness to positively respond to any Red Cross request to provide food and medicine to the hostages, contingent on the opening of humanitarian corridors across Gaza for the movement of aid.
Hamas insists that no separate or special food privileges will be granted to the captives apart from what is available to the general population under siege conditions. This stance is a response to the Israeli blockade, which Hamas describes as a "siege and starvation."
The ICRC has repeatedly called for humanitarian access and emphasized the necessity of an agreement enabling safe and unhindered aid delivery, including the facilitation of visits to hostages. Israeli officials have noted recent dialogue between the ICRC and Hamas about providing food and medicine to hostages, following international and family appeals, especially after disturbing video footage of hostages surfaced showing their critical condition.
Currently, 49 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, with at least 27 of them confirmed dead by the army. The videos, which have sparked international outrage and driven thousands of Israelis onto the streets in protest, show emaciated hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski in distressing conditions.
The total number of deaths in the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas authorities (not independently confirmed), is over 60,400. According to Israeli reports, 1219 people were killed and 251 taken hostage during the war. Amnesty International has criticized the war in Gaza, stating that Israel's actions may amount to war crimes.
As of now, the ICRC has not yet responded publicly to the conditions set by Hamas for access to the hostages. The German Red Cross has also remained silent on the matter. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the ICRC for help in caring for the Israeli hostages being held in the Gaza Strip, requesting support for the provision of food and immediate medical aid.
The situation in Gaza remains complex and tense, with both sides calling for humanitarian aid and access to hostages. The ICRC delegation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories has expressed horror at the latest hostage videos released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, underscoring the urgency for a resolution that ensures the safety and well-being of all those affected by the conflict.
The Commission, amid the escalating crisis in Gaza, has been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in the midst of the nuclear fallout from continuing war-and-conflicts. comparatively, in the realm of general news, international politics, and crime-and-justice, the misconduct of Hamas in the matter of Israeli hostages has been under scrutiny, with calls for justice from both Israel and international organizations.
