International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger is expected to visit Israel on Thursday, according to Hebrew media, The Times of Israel reported.
This comes a week after her visits to Egypt and the Gaza Strip for discussions on allowing Red Cross representatives to access the hostages taken by Hamas during its 7 October attack on Israel.
Spoljaric is expected to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, as well as the families of hostages.
According to Israeli defence officials, some 138 hostages remain in Gaza of the approximately 240 people taken on 7 October. At least 18 of those remaining are dead and terrorists are holding onto their remains 105 Israeli and foreign hostages were released as part of a weeklong temporary truce deal last month that expired on 1 December.
As per The Times of Israel, the ICRC has come under fierce criticism in Israel and abroad for not doing more to push for access to the hostages to check on their wellbeing, deliver medications, and facilitate communication with families, per its mandate. Israel has said that the Red Cross’ visits to the remaining hostages were a stipulation of the truce last month. In November, Spoljaric met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar for discussions. Her office later said that the “ICRC has persistently called for the immediate release of hostages.” “Agreements must be reached that allow the ICRC to safely carry out this work. The ICRC cannot force its way in to where hostages are held, nor do we know their location,” her office said, as per The Times of Israel.
