The Red Cross has called for “improvements” in the security of the handovers to Israel of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza after chaotic scenes earlier in the day, AFP reports.
Palestinian fighters from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad had struggled to contain a crowd of hundreds while handing three Israeli and five Thai hostages to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
As with the previous hostage exchanges the International Community of the Red Cross facilitated yesterday’s transfers.
“Today’s conditions underscore the importance of all parties upholding their agreements and ensuring operations take place in a safe and dignified manner,” said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.
“The security of these operations must be assured, and we urge for improvements in the future.” The ICRC underlined that it “does not control the time of the release, the place, or the surrounding environment” for each transfer.
