The Red Cross on Wednesday called for privacy and dignity ahead of the expected release of hostages' bodies from Gaza under the terms of a ceasefire.
"We must be clear: any degrading treatment during release operations is unacceptable," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement © Mena Today
The Red Cross on Wednesday called for privacy and dignity ahead of the expected release of hostages' bodies from Gaza under the terms of a ceasefire.
Thursday's handover is expected to include for the first time the bodies of four hostages, including those of two children from the Bibas family and their mother, who have become symbols of the trauma of the October 7 attacks.
"We must be clear: any degrading treatment during release operations is unacceptable," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement.
The Hamas-directed hostage releases since the January 19 ceasefire have been characterised by large public ceremonies among Gaza's ruins and have come under growing criticism, including from the United Nations, which denounced the "parading of hostages".
The ICRC, a neutral intermediary responsible for releasing hostages and Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the ceasefire, has repeatedly called for improvements.
Some Israeli critics allege it has not done enough to protect the hostages and have mocked its role as a "ride share" service in a social media video. The ICRC has publicly rejected the criticism and said it seeks to ensure hostages are transferred in the best possible conditions.
Reporting by Emma Farge
US embassies in Jerusalem, Baghdad and Amman issued security alerts Saturday urging American citizens to exercise "heightened vigilance," as tensions flare between Iran and the United States. Americans were also told to "consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation."
President Donald Trump said Friday that Israel was "very happy" with an agreement reached by his so-called Board of Peace for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups in Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump said talks in Cairo between mediators and Hamas leaders on Thursday have led to a phased disarmament agreement in Gaza, but a Hamas official described the deal as a draft and U.S. officials said Israel was skeptical the militant Palestinian group would surrender its weapons.
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