Jerusalem (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today safely transferred three hostages out of Gaza to Israel, and 175 Palestinian detainees from Israeli detention centres to Gaza and the West Bank. In total 183 detainees were released today.
This marks the completion of the fourth phase of release operations carried out by the ICRC in the last two weeks, facilitating the return of 18 hostages and 583 Palestinian detainees.
Prior to today’s operation, the ICRC reminded the parties of their responsibility to ensure transfers are carried out safely and with dignity. The details of the operation, including who would be released and when, were agreed by the parties to the conflict.
While the ICRC was not involved in the negotiations, it has acted as a humanitarian intermediary to facilitate the agreement so that people can be return home safely. Specialised ICRC staff, including doctors, are on hand to provide support if needed. The ICRC also conducts pre-departure interviews with detainees to assess their health and fitness for travel.
As more families anxiously await news of their loved ones, the ICRC continues to call for the continued implementation of the agreement to allow more families to be reunited. The ICRC remains prepared to facilitate further release operations in the coming weeks, and to continue to bring critically needed aid into Gaza.