Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu appeals to the Red Cross for aid in delivering essentials to Israeli captives - Israeli leader Netanyahu petitions the Red Cross for assistance in securing the release of Israeli captives
The Gaza Strip has been embroiled in a prolonged crisis, marked by a war that erupted in October 2023 following an unprecedented large-scale attack by Hamas and its allies on Israel. This conflict, which has lasted nearly 22 months, has claimed thousands of lives, displaced countless people, and caused extensive damage to infrastructure.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been actively engaged in the region, demanding access to the hostages being held in the Gaza Strip. However, the ICRC has not commented on the question of the possible supply of the hostages by the organisation itself.
The hostages are Israeli citizens, and their plight has been a contentious issue in the ongoing conflict. Hamas, a radical Islamic Palestinian organisation, has demanded that humanitarian corridors for aid deliveries in the Gaza Strip be opened before they allow the ICRC access to the hostages.
The Al-Kassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, have stated that they are not intentionally starving the hostages. They eat the same food as Hamas fighters and the Gaza Strip population. However, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic, with more than a hundred aid organisations warning of "mass starvation".
According to Hamas authorities, which cannot be independently confirmed, more than 60,400 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip. The ICRC delegation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories has expressed shock over the latest hostage videos published by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.
Israel's stringent blockade on Gaza, which has been intensified since the October 2023 attacks, severely restricts goods and movement, leading to widespread shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and electricity. This blockade, which is explicitly conditioned on the return of hostages captured by Hamas, has been widely criticized as collective punishment and a violation of international law.
The war between Israel and Hamas has caused extensive loss of life, displacement, and damage to infrastructure. Over 46,000 Gazans have died in the 2023-2025 conflict phases, a large proportion civilians, and nearly 90% of Gaza’s population—about 1.9 million people—face acute or catastrophic food insecurity as of early 2025.
Both sides have made accusations: Israel argues Hamas embeds fighters in civilian areas, complicating military operations, while numerous organisations condemn Israeli strikes on hospitals, schools, and humanitarian zones, which has led to a surge in disease outbreaks such as polio and attacks on humanitarian workers.
Regarding hostage situations, Hamas has abducted Israeli civilians and soldiers, using them as leverage while Israel insists on their return before easing blockade measures. Israeli military operations include rescue attempts for hostages, such as the June 2024 rescue of four hostages in central Gaza and targeted killings of Hamas leadership.
Humanitarian organisations, including the ICRC and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), have been active in Gaza, but their operations have faced severe challenges. Israeli restrictions on “dual-use” items have blocked essential supplies like chlorine tablets for water purification, and attacks on aid workers have intimidated humanitarian staff, leading some agencies to suspend or limit their presence.
Currently, 49 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, with at least 27 of them reportedly dead. The Al-Kassam Brigades have stated they are ready to allow the delivery of food and medicine to the hostages, but only if permanent humanitarian corridors are established for all areas of the Gaza Strip.
International pressure on Israel has increased to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip and to agree to a new ceasefire. As the crisis continues, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for a resolution that brings an end to the suffering in Gaza.
References: [1] Human Rights Watch (2025). Israel/Gaza: Lifting Gaza Blockade Conditional on Hostage Returns Violates International Law. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/01/israelgaza-lifting-gaza-blockade-conditional-hostage-returns-violates-international-law
[2] United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2025). Gaza Crisis: Humanitarian Response Plan 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-crisis-humanitarian-response-plan-2025
[3] United Nations General Assembly (2025). Resolution A/RES/73/324. [online] Available at: https://undocs.org/A/RES/73/324
[4] Amnesty International (2025). Israel/Gaza: Unlawful Killings and Humanitarian Crisis. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/03/israel-gaza-unlawful-killings-and-humanitarian-crisis/
- The Israeli government's push for the Palestinians to leave the country continues amidst the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Gaza Strip, a contentious issue in the politics of the general-news.
- The prolonged crisis in the Gaza Strip, marked by repeated acts of war, has led to a humanitarian crisis, with numerous humanitarian organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), highlighting concerns over collective punishment, violations of international law, and the threat of mass starvation.
