From the Liveblog of
Monday, September 30, 2024
UN chief condemns Hamas for not allowing Red Cross visits to Gaza hostages
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns Hamas for not allowing the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the hostages in Gaza.
“I’d like to condemn the fact that the Red Cross is not even allowed to visit those hostages,” Guterres says, in a speech at an event raising awareness of hostage-taking worldwide. “This is something clear in international humanitarian law. Hostages… are entitled to receive Red Cross visits. I once again strongly plea for the ICRC to be allowed to visit these hostages.”
Guterres reiterates his call for the immediate release of the remaining 101 hostages being held in Gaza. He laments that efforts to broker a ceasefire have yet to bear fruit.
“I hope that the horrible events that we’re seeing will teach a lesson to the world for this [practice of hostage-taking] not to be possible anymore,” he adds.
The New York event is organized by Hostage Aid Worldwide, in partnership with the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights.
