He International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is in contact with Hamas and the Israeli authorities to achieve hostage release taken by the terrorist group, the organization reported this Thursday through a statement.
“I implore the parties to reduce civilian suffering”he declared Fabrizio CarboniICRC regional director for Middle East.
“As a neutral intermediary, we are ready to conduct humanitarian visits, facilitate communication between hostages and family members, and facilitate any release.“Carboni added.
The taking of hostages is prohibited by the international humanitarian law and detained people have the right to be released immediately, he recalled.
Dozens of Israelis and foreigners, soldiers, civilians, children and women are in the hands of the Hamas terrorist group in the Gaza Strip after the weekend offensive against Israel.
The Israeli authorities indicated that there are 150 hostages and hundreds of people remain missing. There are also bodies of victims in the process of being identified.
The ICRC leader expressed concern about the fate of civilians in the Gaza Strip, which is bombed relentlessly by the Israeli armed forces in response to the Hamas attack.
“Without electricity, hospitals are in danger of becoming morgues“Carboni warned about the situation in Gaza.
The Red Cross stated that health institutions have a “enormous pressure” and they run the risk of the situation becoming “unmanageable” in the coming hours due to the increase in people who need assistance and at the same time, due to the need for medicines and human resources.
“We call all parties involved to tell them that in this situation they have a legal obligation to maintain minimal access to the population and civilians for primary needs, water and food“, since the humanitarian situation at this time is “very critical,” said the spokesperson Imene Trabelsi.
This Wednesday, the Federation of the Cross Red He reported that five members of the network which groups this humanitarian organization with other relief organizations died as a result of the clashes between Israel and Hamas, including four paramedics in two attacks on ambulances.
“The International Federation of Societies of the Cross Red and of the Half Moon Red (IFRC) is devastated to confirm the death of five members of our network due to armed hostilities in the Gaza Strip,” this humanitarian group said in a statement.
The balance includes all the rescuers killed since Saturday after an unprecedented offensive by Palestinian terrorists.
“Today, Wednesday, in two incidents, ambulances were attacked and four paramedics from Media Luna died. Red Palestine,” said the IFRC, which is based in Geneva.
The Federation added that on Saturday an ambulance driver from Magen David Adom, the Israeli service that also cooperates with this network, died while driving a vehicle to help the wounded in Israel.
The Federation reiterated its call to all parties to “respect their legal obligations under international humanitarian law”.
“This is not negotiable. Civilians, health personnel, health centers and civilian infrastructure must be respected and protected at all times. They are not a target,” he stated.
(With information from AFP)
Source-www.infobae.com