ICRC Ready to Manage Prisoner Exchange Between Israel and Hamas

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has expressed its readiness to manage all aspects of a prisoner exchange between and Hamas under a new ceasefire agreement, an ICRC spokesperson said on Saturday, as reported by Antara.

“We are ready to carry out all aspects of this operation and implement the agreement between the parties, which will allow for family reunions across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the spokesperson told reporters.

The spokesperson added that the organization is also ready to carry out the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“The ICRC is preparing a large-scale operation that includes transportation logistics, increased staffing, distribution of emergency supplies, training of medical personnel who will treat the released prisoners, and careful security planning.”

Earlier, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric affirmed her organization’s readiness to help implement the agreement reached by the parties to reunite families across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and deliver more aid to Gaza.

Speaking in Jerusalem during a five-day visit to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, she said: “We are ready to facilitate the release operation as agreed by the parties so that hostages and prisoners can return home. We are also ready to massively scale up our humanitarian response in Gaza, where the situation is extremely critical. This will require continued efforts by the parties to ensure that our teams can carry out their work safely and effectively.”

“There are no words to describe the level of suffering that Palestinians and Israelis endure every day. This nightmare has gone on for far too long. The suffering must end. Civilians in Gaza need protection and humanitarian assistance. The hostages must return home. This is only possible with a political commitment from all parties to put humanity first and respect the rules of war.”

“I hope this agreement marks a new beginning. Civilian lives must be protected and their needs prioritized. The coming days are crucial and we count on the parties to stick to their commitments. While the agreement is welcome, it is not the end. There are enormous humanitarian needs to be addressed, which will take months, if not years.”

As a neutral intermediary, the has previously helped facilitate the release of 109 hostages and 154 detainees. These operations are extremely complex and require careful logistical and security planning to minimize the risk to life.

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