On Tuesday, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, criticized the ongoing conflict in Gaza, characterizing it as a “moral failure” on the part of the international community.
She emphasized the prolonged suffering and its potential impact on future generations in Gaza. Spoljaric, who had visited both the Gaza Strip and Israel, stressed the necessity of a new agreement between Israel and Hamas to cease the hostilities.
She specifically referred to the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during an incident in southern Israel on October 7. Describing these releases as intricate and sensitive missions, Spoljaric expressed the ICRC’s commitment to urging both sides to continue negotiations.
A truce mediated by Qatar and Egypt was briefly held in late November, resulting in the release of 110 hostages in Gaza in exchange for 240 Palestinian women and teenagers from Israeli jails.
However, heavy fighting resumed on December 1, leading to some of the remaining hostages being declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities. The ICRC faced criticism from some Israelis for allegedly not doing enough to secure the release of hostages, with social media users making comparisons to a taxi service.
Spoljaric firmly rejected such analogies, deeming them “unacceptable and outrageous.” She highlighted the perilous nature of the operations, emphasizing the risks taken by ICRC colleagues and the exposure of hostages during such activities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement indicated ongoing negotiations to recover hostages held by Hamas, following a meeting between Israel’s intelligence chief and the Prime Minister of Qatar.
Spoljaric affirmed the ICRC’s readiness to assist once an agreement is reached, stating that the organization continues discussions with all sides to be prepared to operationalize any future agreement.
