2023-12-28 01:07:00
Relatives of Israeli captives sued the Red Cross for “not carrying out its humanitarian law duties” / Photo: ICRC.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cannot deliver medicines to prisoners held in the Gaza Strip due to lack of access to them, the organization’s spokesperson, Sarah Davies, said this Wednesday.
“The ICRC received from the Israeli authorities and through direct contacts with the families a complete list of the necessary medications for the hostages held captive in Gaza. We confirm that we did not refuse to deliver the medicines to the hostages. We can’t send them because we don’t have access to the prisoners.“Davies declared to the Sputnik agency.
As soon as the Red Cross accesses the hostages, it will provide them with medication and other help, as well as give news to their families, Davies said.
Last week, the Time newspaper reported that cFour Israeli citizens freed from Gaza and the families of two others who remain captive sued the ICRC, demanding that it pay them $2.75 million for failing to fulfill their obligations. under international humanitarian law.
According to the outlet, the freed hostages’ stories of hunger, lack of medicine and torture sparked outrage among Israelis toward the Red Cross.
On October 7, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, causing around 1,200 deaths and around 5,500 injuries and capturing around 240 hostages.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and began massive attacks on facilities in Gaza, including civilian ones, while imposing a complete blockade on the Palestinian enclave, cutting off supplies of water, food, medicine, electricity and fuel.
The bombing campaign in Gaza has left more than 21,100 dead and more than 55,200 injured to date.
From November 24 to December 1, during a humanitarian truce agreed with the joint mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, 80 Israeli hostages from Hamas, mostly women and children, were exchanged for 240 Palestinian prisoners without blood crimes.
In addition, Palestinian militias freed almost 30 more captives, mostly Thais living in Israel. Some 130 hostages are still held captive in Gaza.
When the truce expired, war operations resumed and the flow of humanitarian aid reaching the south of the Palestinian enclave from Egypt was again reduced to a fifth of what Gaza received before that war, according to the UN.
Russia and other countries urge Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire and advocate a two-state solution, approved by the United Nations in 1947, as the only possible way to achieve lasting peace in the region, reported Sputnik.
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