ALT Severe weather conditions are causing damaged buildings in Gaza to collapse leading to further tragic losses of life. It is imperative that more humanitarian assistance, including durable shelter items are brought in.

ALT Today, we facilitated the safe return of 20 hostages to Israeli authorities and 1,809 Palestinian detainees to Gaza and the West Bank. Our teams also transferred the remains of four deceased hostages to Israeli authorities. We stand ready to further support the transfer of remains of the deceased, as per the agreement between the parties. Relevant actors must abide by their commitments to uphold human dignity, and end the pain and suffering endured by so many.

ALT We have started a multi-phase operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages and detainees as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The complex operation, which takes place at the request of the parties, is crucial to reuniting separated families. The ICRC’s role in this operation is that of a neutral intermediary, and is strictly humanitarian. The parties to the conflict determined the terms of the ceasefire agreement, including the individuals to be released and the timeline; the ICRC was not involved in the negotiations. It is the responsibility of the parties to the agreement to ensure these operations are conducted safely and with dignity.