The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) categorizes the conflict in Gaza as a ‘moral failure’ on a worldwide level.
Geneva: On Tuesday, December 19, the head of the world Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged Israel and Hamas to initiate new negotiations to put an end to hostilities, calling the Gaza crisis a “moral failure” of the world community.
Following her tour to the Gaza Strip and Israel, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric said to reporters in Geneva, “I have been speaking of moral failure because every day this continues is a day more where the international community hasn’t proven capable of ending such high levels of suffering and this will have an impact on generations not only in Gaza.”
In reference to the release of Israeli hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas fighters during their deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7, she said, “We urge them to continue negotiating because without an agreement by both sides, there’s nothing.”
“The releases in themselves are highly complex, highly sensitive missions.”
Around 240 Palestinian women and teenagers were freed from Israeli jail facilities and 110 hostages in Gaza were freed during a week-long ceasefire at the end of November, which was mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
There was fierce fighting once more on December 1, and Israeli authorities declared three of the hostages who were still alive to be dead in absentia.
Although during the truce the ICRC assisted in the captives’ rescue, some Israelis have criticized the organization for not going above and beyond to ensure the release of the detainees. Some social media users have likened the ICRC to a taxi company that pulls hostages out of Gaza.
Spoljaric said that comparing it to Uber or a taxi service was “unacceptable and outrageous.” “You don’t just go there and take the hostages and bring them out,” he stated.
“Our colleagues risked their lives and their safety and security during these operations and the hostages are highly exposed while these things are ongoing,” she said.
Following a report that mentioned a meeting between the prime minister of Qatar and Israel’s intelligence chief, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to confirm last week that new negotiations were underway to release the hostages held by Hamas.
Spoljaric said the ICRC would be ready to help again as soon as the parties came to an agreement.
“We continue to talk to all sides to then be ready to operationalise the agreement that they reach.”