The International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday expressed concern about images circulating online of Palestinians detained by the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip.
“We strongly emphasize the importance of treating all those detained with humanity and dignity, in accordance with international humanitarian law,” said Jessica Moussan, a Red Cross spokeswoman, according to Reuters.
“We are talking about individuals who are apprehended in Jabalia and Shejaiya, Hamas strongholds and centers of gravity,” said Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy. “We are talking about military-age men who were discovered in areas that civilians were supposed to have evacuated weeks ago.”
The Red Cross has been accused of denying medicine to an Israeli hostage whom it brought out of Gaza. “My mother was medically neglected,” Tali Amano said of her mother Alma Avraham, 84. “She was abandoned twice—once on Oct. 7 and a second time by all of the organizations that should have saved her.”
“Alma Avraham, 84, was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7 and was in need of life-saving medication. Her family begged a Red Cross representative to pass on the medication to her,” wrote the Israeli embassy in Washington on Nov. 28. “On Sunday, Alma returned to Israel in critical condition. She was hospitalized and is currently fighting for her life.”
The Red Cross has also drawn criticism recently for reportedly telling the family of another hostage to “Think about the Palestinian side. It’s hard for the Palestinians, they’re being bombed.”
