Red Cross solicited for aid by Benjamin Netanyahu
In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has taken on a critical role in providing humanitarian aid and advocating for the protection of civilians. The crisis, which began following Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023, has resulted in over 200 hostages being taken, with around 49 still reportedly held in Gaza as of August 2025.
The ICRC's mission is rooted in humanitarian protection, negotiation facilitation, and aid delivery. As a neutral intermediary, the ICRC has been actively working towards securing the release of hostages, facilitating communication between parties, and delivering medical and humanitarian aid. However, details on ICRC interventions related to the hostage situation in Gaza in 2025 are not extensively covered in the search results.
The broader international response includes diplomatic mediation, Security Council engagement, and calls for ceasefires and humanitarian access. Mediations led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar resulted in ceasefire proposals and prisoner exchanges between Hamas and Israel in early 2025. Despite these efforts, ceasefires have repeatedly broken down, such as in March 2025 when Israel resumed airstrikes after Hamas failed to extend the ceasefire or release hostages as agreed.
The situation in Gaza is dire. Over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, and widespread malnutrition, especially among children, has been reported. The United Nations and other bodies have issued warnings of famine and called for urgent international aid access and conflict resolution. The League of Arab States has demanded Hamas's disarmament and hostage release in a recent UN conference.
The plight of the hostages has not gone unnoticed. Images of Evyatar David, shown digging his own grave in a narrow tunnel where he is being held, and Rom Breslevsky, appearing weakened and emaciated, have been released, reigniting the debate in Israel on the need for an agreement to free them. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested the help of the ICRC to provide food and medical treatment to Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Netanyahu is under strong pressure in Israel to secure the return of the hostages. He had a "long conversation" with the families of the hostages on Saturday, expressing his dismay at the situation. The emotional support for the hostages' families was evident in a gathering of tens of thousands of people in Tel Aviv the previous evening.
International leaders have also spoken out against the situation. Emmanuel Macron, the French President, slammed the "abject cruelty" from Hamas. Kaja Kallas, the head of EU diplomacy, condemned the "horrible images" from Gaza, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed horror at the situation and called on Israel to continue delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Netanyahu has accused Hamas of deliberately starving the inhabitants of Gaza and preventing them from receiving aid. The extent of the destruction in the north of the Palestinian territory can be observed, with some neighborhoods having been completely leveled by bombing, reduced to rubble.
In the face of this humanitarian catastrophe, the ICRC continues to advocate for the humane treatment of detainees as established under international law. The organisation declined to make any further comment at this time, maintaining its neutral stance in the conflict. The hope remains that the ICRC's efforts, along with international diplomatic efforts, will lead to a resolution that ensures the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and brings an end to the suffering in Gaza.
- The ICRC, known for its work in health-and-wellness, war-and-conflicts, and general-news, has been advocating for the humane treatment of hostages in Gaza, a critical role it has taken amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
- In the midst of the political tensions and crime-and-justice implications in the Middle East region, world leaders have spoken out against the situation in Gaza, condemning the abuse of hostages by Hamas as shown by disturbing images circulating on the global stage.
- Amidst the destruction in Gaza and the international concern about the worsening health and living conditions of its inhabitants, the ICRC is advocating for the urgent delivery of food, medical treatment, and humanitarian aid, emphasizing its importance not just in the realm of science, but also in the broader context of health-and-wellness and war-and-conflicts.
