Return of bodies of dead hostages – Red Cross reacts to video of Hamas staging

Following the emergence of a video that staged the discovery of a body in Gaza involving Hamas officials, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was aware of the situation and stressed its neutral role.

According to the organization, the ICRC’s presence on the ground was agreed at the request of Hamas terrorists, with the team acting in good faith as a neutral intermediary between the parties. The Israeli leadership was notified in advance of the organization’s presence, and actions were carried out as transparently as possible.

The ICRC noted that staff were unaware of the staging and that the body had been placed in place before their arrival. The organization stressed that its role did not include the recovery of the bodies of dead hostages, and that employees only observed what was happening, without having information about the previous circumstances.

The committee noted that staging rescue operations is unacceptable, especially given the importance of compliance with agreements and the hopes of families to receive information about their loved ones.

The ICRC also recalled the difficult situation in the Gaza Strip, where teams work under constant pressure and risk to carry out their duties with integrity. Due to these conditions, officers present on site were unable to intervene directly.

The organization stressed that it expresses its concerns directly to the parties involved and reiterates its urge for human remains to be treated with respect, adhering to international humanitarian law and forensic standards. The return of bodies must occur without politicization.

In addition, the ICRC reiterated its call on the parties to respect their obligations under the ceasefire agreement and facilitate the return of the dead, noting that the committee can only fulfill its functions with the cooperation of all parties to the conflict.

Previously, Kursor wrote about what forced Israel to launch a large-scale attack on Hamas.

An Israeli official explained how the decision was made to launch strikes against Hamas terrorists.