The interview – and the outrageous comparison: Fabrizio Carboni, director of the Middle East department of the Red Cross, was interviewed last night (Tuesday) by the Saudi newspaper al-Sharq al-Awast which is published in London. In his words, he distortedly compared Israel to the terrorist organization Hamas – while 136 abductees, whom he called “detainees” or “hostages”, have been held captive in the Gaza Strip for 110 days.
“Since October 7, Israel has suspended visits to the Palestinian prisoners in the prisons. At the same time, Hamas has so far not allowed visits to the abductees it is holding. This is unacceptable,” said Carboni in an interview.
Fabrizio Carboni, Director of the Middle East Department at the Red Cross Photo: Denis Blibus, Reuters
As for the mediation efforts for a deal to release hostages, he stated that they are not part of the dialogue between the parties and that it is a political negotiation. “We deal with the humanitarian aspects after the agreement and make sure to implement what was agreed upon. This is what we have done in the past and we are ready to do it in the future. As far as I am concerned, unfortunately I have no information from anyone. We hope that the parties will reach an agreement as soon as possible.”
Carboni said in an interview regarding the visits of the Palestinian security prisoners in the Israeli prisons that “we not only visit, but also facilitate the visits of the families”.
A prison complex for Israeli abductees in Gaza Photo: IDF spokesman
He pointed an accusing finger at Israel and claimed: “As of October 7, the Israeli authorities made a decision to suspend the visits through the International Red Cross. We regret this and continue to talk to those concerned to resume these visits.” He added that “it is also sad that Hamas does not allow us to visit the abductees it is holding” and emphasized that in both cases it is “completely unacceptable to them” and that they hope to be able to reach those people as soon as possible.
Hamas terrorists in Gaza, archive | Photo: AP
As part of the agreement to transfer the medicines to the abductees, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, five trucks carrying medicines entered the Gaza Strip last week. Hamas claimed that they determined the “mechanism and quantities” and that for every 1,000 medicines that are delivered to the residents of Gaza, the abductees will receive medicine.
In an interview with “Weekend News” that took place at the end of December, the president of the Red Cross, Miriana Spolaric-Agar, said: “So far we have managed to achieve the release of over a hundred abductees, this is important. We continue to work with both sides to achieve the release of the other abductees, and To ascertain the fate of the people we don’t know what happened to them.”
Mariana Spoliarich-Agar, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
She added that there may be abductees who did not survive, but we must return them home as well, and clarified: “Personally, this is work that we cannot do without the consent of both sides, we need it urgently, and I appeal to both sides.”
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