Release of hostages, Palestinian prisoners must be conducted ‘with dignity,’ Red Cross urges

The International Committee of the Red Cross says all releases of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners called for in the Gaza ceasefire agreement should be carried out “safely and with dignity.

“The coming days are critical. I urge the parties to hold to their commitments. Release operations must be carried out safely and with dignity,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric says in a statement, also calling for humanitarian assistance to “resume urgently at full capacity and be delivered to people safely wherever they are.”

During the previous ceasefire, which lasted from January to March, the Red Cross criticized the elaborate ceremonies that Hamas held when it handed over the bodies of slain hostages, and expressed “concerns” over the similar ceremonies it orchestrated for the living hostages, but said it had no control over the terror group’s conduct.