Red Cross ‘concerned’ about hostages ahead of next Israel-Hamas swap

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has facilitated the ongoing hostage-prisoner swaps between Israel and Hamas, said Friday it was “very concerned” about the condition of the remaining captives held in Gaza.

“The latest release operations reinforce the urgent need for ICRC access to those held hostage. We remain very concerned about the conditions of the hostages,” the Red Cross said in a statement on X.

“We have consistently reiterated that release and transfer operations should be carried out in a dignified and safe manner.

“The ICRC will continue our efforts to see all hostages released, until the last hostage is returned.”

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19, the two sides have conducted five hostage-prisoner swaps.

During the fifth exchange on February 8, Hamas forced three hostages to thank their captors in front of crowds of Palestinians gathered to witness their release in Gaza.

The emaciated appearance of the hostages shocked their families and the world, and prompted the ICRC to call on Hamas to ensure subsequent swaps are more private and dignified.

The next hostage-prisoner exchange is scheduled for Saturday.

Speaking to Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot on Thursday, the mother of released hostage Liri Albag described how her daughter sometimes had nothing to eat for days, and “at times, they ate food meant for donkeys”.

She said there was “minimal hygiene” in Gaza and recalled how her daughter’s captives taunted her with videos of the male hostages being beaten and abused.

“Liri told us right at the beginning, ‘I came out of hell and we went through hell there, but the boys, the soldiers, are going through more than us,'” Shira Albag said in a separate interview with Israel’s Channel 12 news.

Since the ceasefire began, militants have released 16 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.