Debunking harmful narratives about our work in Israel and the occupied territories

No. The ICRC is a neutral humanitarian organization. We do not engage in politics. Our concern is purely humanitarian – we seek to save lives and to reduce or prevent the suffering of people caught in conflict.

In order to operate in conflict zones, the ICRC establishes trust through its confidential dialogue with all parties to the conflict with the objective of alleviating the suffering of those affected by it.

This allows us to conduct a vital part of our work: to remind the warring parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law – something that we also do publicly – and to raise, directly and candidly, our concerns about the conduct of hostilities. The content of those confidential conversations is something we do not discuss publicly.

By publicly calling out one warring side or another, or disclosing the content of our confidential conversations, we would risk losing the trust of the sides and the direct access and vital space to speak with all parties to the conflict about the need to protect civilians during hostilities. It might also jeopardize our ability to bring life-saving assistance to people in need.

To some it may seem as if we are not outspoken enough. But based on decades of experience, we know that directly advocating with those we are trying to influence is the most effective approach.

We are fully aware that our neutrality and principles are not always well understood. However, our neutrality and impartiality are critical to our ability to operate in any context. We continue our efforts to inform people, including parties to the conflict, about what the ICRC can and cannot do based on our mandate and principles.
To answer the frequently asked questions “why are you silent”, watch this short video.

During the handover of hostages, the ICRC’s role is focused on ensuring safe passage, and providing medical or logistical support. At all times, ICRC staff do their utmost to protect the dignity of those being released, but many aspects and parameters are outside of our control, and it is important that people know about the limitations we face in such operations.

In such situations, maintaining neutrality is critical to our ability to operate in complex and volatile environments. Interfering with armed security personnel could compromise the safety of ICRC staff, and more importantly that of the hostages. The specific circumstances of each situation can vary widely, and challenges like large crowds limit the ICRC’s ability to fully manage the process. Ensuring the safety and security of the hand over operations is the responsibility of the parties to the agreement. Our priority is and always will be the safe and successful release and transfer back to relevant authorities and awaiting families and loved ones. 

Reducing the role of the ICRC as just a transport service really misses the bigger picture of what we do. When we transport those affected by armed conflict, it is never just about moving people from one place to another. 

Our involvement in hostage transfers is deeply rooted in compassion and empathy for those affected by conflict. It is our neutral status that allows us to safelytransfer hostages and detainees, protecting them during the vulnerable moments of transfer. First aid and emotional support is offered to released hostages, recognizing the trauma they've endured. It is the trust placed in us by the Israeli authorities and Hamas, that enables us to work with all involved to carry out these delicate operations. This trust, and our careful and principle-driven approach, is what makes it possible to ensure that during release and transfer operations people are treated humanely. 

We operate under strict principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which allows us to work with all sides of a conflict.

It may look simple, but the work behind the scenes—negotiating access, ensuring safety, and coordinating with all parties—is incredibly complex and can often take months or years. Every step is about protecting lives, not just offering transportation.

The ICRC’s role in such exchanges is to act as a neutral intermediary, facilitating the safe and humane transfer of individuals between parties. Delays in detainee releases can occur due to various logistical or administrative reasons, and attributing such delays to intentional actions by the ICRC is categorically false.

We have consistently called for immediate access to hostages to ensure their well-being, facilitate communication with their families, and assess their conditions in accordance with international humanitarian law. We have done so publicly and directly with those responsible.

Securing access requires the cooperation of all parties involved. If any party to the conflict obstructs or denies access, we cannot simply impose our presence without jeopardizing our principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. To do so could also put those held hostage in more danger. The lack of access, compounded by ongoing hostilities and security risks, underscores the incredibly complex and sensitive nature of accessing hostages in an active conflict zone.

We are not seeking to take credit for anything, we simply ask for humanitarian space for a neutral intermediary to be able to do its humanitarian work.

The ICRC has not been able to visit any Palestinian detainees held in Israeli places of detention since 7 October 2023.

We have been actively engaging with the relevant authorities in our usual bilateral and confidential dialogue to resume notifying the ICRC's Central Tracing Agency of the whereabouts of thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli places of detention, and to allow for the resumption of ICRC visits and family contacts for these detainees. We have also repeatedly called for detainees to be treated humanely and permitted to communicate with their relatives. 

We stand ready to resume our regular detention visits as soon as possible, to continue monitoring the treatment of detainees and the conditions of detention in all relevant facilities. This remains a priority for the ICRC in Israel and the occupied territories. 

To this date, we have interacted with over 1,250 released detainees – through either group or individual interviews – to gather information on their treatment and conditions of detention, informing our engagement with relevant authorities, and facilitated the return of 154 Palestinian detainees from Israeli places of detention to their families.

The ICRC has a long history of visiting detainees around the world. Our commitment to detainees and their families remains unchanged.

Never. The ICRC firmly denies all allegations of espionage. We are committed to upholding humanitarian principles and ethics in all our operations. These false claims put at risk the safety of our staff and hinder humanitarian aid from reaching those in need.

The ICRC's confidential dialogue with all parties to the conflict allows us to conduct a vital part of our work: reminding the parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and raising our concerns about the conduct of hostilities. 

This dialogue with parties to the conflict allows us to advocate discreetly and constantly for the protection of civilians during hostilities. It is life-saving work and should not be misunderstood for anything else.

Throughout the conflict, the ICRC received requests to evacuate hospitals in the north of Gaza. However, the extremely difficult security situation – together with roads blocked and unreliable communications - meant we could not regularly safely access the area so were not involved in many of these evacuations.

Only recently were the ICRC – together with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) – able to conduct medical transfers of small numbers of critical patients and patients requiring specialized care from hospitals who could no longer provide the appropriate care to other medical facilities. 

It is unacceptable that civilians, including babies and children, pay such a terrible price in this conflict.

The ICRC has consistently stressed the need for safe humanitarian access throughout Gaza, including the north. The ICRC stands ready to fulfil its role as a neutral intermediary during conflicts and is fully committed to providing support to evacuate the wounded and sick. We repeat our call for the necessary conditions to be met in order to do that. Only the parties to the conflict can provide this. Without that agreement in place, evacuations can put more lives in danger, including those of civilians. The ICRC has repeatedly reiterated that all must be done to spare civilian lives in the conduct of military operations, and to ensure that they have access to the basic necessities for life, including food, water, and medical care. The ICRC has continued to maintain its operations in Gaza, despite sometimes choosing to implement additional security and safety measures for its staff. 

The parties to the conflict must fulfil their responsibilities to respect and protect the wounded and the sick, and the medical personnel who care for them.

ICRC teams are in Gaza and will continue to be there. We have no intention of leaving. In fact, we are increasing the capacity of our teams there. The ICRC has over 300 staff members in Gaza, many of whom have been working relentlessly since the escalation of the armed conflict to provide much-needed relief.

Additionally, we are rotating in new experts – comprising medical, surgical and weapon contamination experts, among others – to increase the ICRC's capacity to continue supporting hospitals and deliver life-saving trauma surgery, to assist people desperate for safe drinking water or facing illness as health conditions worsen.  More recently, the ICRC has facilitated the polio vaccination of over 1,100 children at the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah. For more information on our health activities in Gaza, please see the recent Facts & Figures: Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah, Gaza Strip. 

Decisions on the ICRC personnel and supplies brought into Gaza are based purely on humanitarian needs. Access is made possible through our regular and constant dialogue with the relevant authorities, which we carry out as a neutral, impartial and independent organization.

The arriving teams and the crucial humanitarian assistance they are bringing in provides some relief, but it is not enough. We urge parties to the conflict to enable rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access in line with international humanitarian law. A sustained supply of humanitarian assistance and personnel is desperately needed across Gaza.

We have been operating in Israel and the occupied territories since 1967 with offices in Tel Aviv, Gaza, and across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. For more information on our recent activities, please see the key Facts & Figures from 7 October 2023 to 31 October 2024. 

From the onset of the attacks of 7 October 2023, we have been tirelessly calling for the unconditional release of the hostages as a priority, while also pressing for access to them and the ability to provide medical care.

Families of hostages have lived through a nightmare for more than a year. Children, spouses, siblings, and parents have waited anxiously for news of their loved one. We have met with the families of the hostages who understandably want to ensure that their loved ones are able to continue their medical treatments. We tell them we want to deliver the medicines and share family news if we could secure access to the hostages.

In the absence of such access, the ICRC has engaged with the parties to find other ways to get the hostages the medicines they need.

For more information on our latest statements, please visit our website or see the Frequently asked questions on ICRC and the hostages held in Gaza as well as Information for people affected by the conflict in Israel.

We did not give permission for people carrying Hamas flags to get on top of our buses in Ramallah, nor did we have the capacity to prevent people from doing so.

Worldwide, the ICRC regularly facilitates transfers of people deprived of liberty, whether detainees or hostages, acting as a trusted third party. This means we help implement a release agreement that the parties concerned have agreed to. Once that agreement is in place, our role is to make sure that people are released in a safe and dignified manner and to bring them safely to a previously agreed location by both parties.

In these types of release operations, the safety and security of everyone involved, including our own staff, is always paramount for the operation to be successful. We remind all parties, including the relatives of those being reunited, to respect our neutral role when conducting this work.

We unequivocally reject antisemitism in all its forms. Hatred, discrimination, and violence directed toward Jewish individuals or communities are intolerable and must be confronted wherever they arise. The dignity, safety, and humanity of every person must be respected and protected, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering understanding and inclusion. Antisemitism has no place in our societies, and we stand in solidarity with all those working to eradicate it.

ICRC employees are bound by a strict Code of Conduct that sets a clear expectation to respect the dignity of all human beings. This obligation provides the foundation for a strict prohibition of all types of discriminatory conduct such as antisemitism. All employees receive mandatory trainings on the ICRC Code of Conduct. Violations of its provisions can lead to formal disciplinary investigations resulting in sanctions including dismissal.

During World War II, the ICRC was active in providing aid to prisoners of war (POWs), facilitating communication between POWs and their families, and monitoring conditions in internment camps. However, the mandate at the time did not explicitly extend to civilians unless governments allowed it.

The ICRC failed to speak out and more importantly act on behalf of the millions of people who suffered and perished in the death camps, especially the Jewish people targeted, persecuted, and murdered under the Nazi regime. The ICRC has publicly expressed its profound regret and has described this as “the greatest failure in its history” and fully acknowledges its shortcomings and lack of courage in confronting the horrors of Nazi persecution and genocide. 

Honoring the memory of Holocaust victims and survivors demands more than words; it requires relentless action to build a world where the dignity and humanity of every individual are not only recognized but fiercely defended—without exception, without hesitation, and without compromise.

Several steps were taken after World War II, to better protect civilians and prevent atrocities like the Holocaust. These efforts were driven by the lessons learned from the war and the Holocaust’s immense human suffering. First and foremost was the development of international humanitarian law (IHL) with the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 that specifically addressed the protection of civilians in times of conflict, in full recognition of the vulnerabilities they face. 

The ICRC intensified its efforts in advocating for respect for IHL by engaging governments, armed forces and the public and emphasizing the importance for parties to a conflict to adhere to IHL to prevent war crimes and other atrocities. 

By strengthening its field operations and expanding its global presence the ICRC has strived to respond more effectively to emerging conflicts and developed mechanisms to provide humanitarian aid, protect civilian populations, engage with armed actors and document compliance with IHL.

While these measures cannot make up for failures of the past, we are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that the failures of World War II serve as a solemn, enduring lesson. In strict adherence to our principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence and humanity we uphold our policies and actions to the highest standards to ensure aid and protection is provided without regard to race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

To gain a deeper understanding, we encourage you to explore our documentation on the Holocaust and the ICRC’s role during this tragic chapter in history. All ICRC archives during World War II have been opened to the public and are accessible to researchers.
 

The ICRC operates under the principles of neutrality and impartiality, ensuring that we do not take sides in a conflict. This allows us to engage with all actors, regardless of their status or designation. We do not endorse the actions of any groups or individuals we engage with, our sole focus is on alleviating human suffering. 

To provide aid and protect civilians, the ICRC needs to negotiate access in conflict zones. By speaking with all parties to a conflict, including one’s enemies, we strive to secure humanitarian access, remind them of their obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL) and reduce suffering.

Engaging with parties to a conflict, whether governments or non-state armed groups, is a complex and necessary endeavor. While it might be perceived as controversial to some, it is essential for the ICRC to fulfill its humanitarian mission in complicated and dangerous conflict environments. 

Ensuring that assistance reaches the people who need it the most is the top priority for the ICRC. We have robust oversight and risk mitigation measures in place to ensure that aid reaches the intended affected populations.

ICRC activities are not designed to support the actions and objectives of parties to an armed conflict, whether they are states or non-state armed groups. We are therefore extremely diligent when it comes to mitigating possible aid diversion, as it could negatively affect our acceptance and trust, hinder future access and raise security concerns for our colleagues on the ground.

The ICRC works very hard to prevent aid from being diverted and over the years, it has developed internal policies and due-diligence measures to mitigate the risk of aid diversion. This includes supplier and contractor screening, careful needs assessments, direct implementation and oversight of activities, and the auditing of distribution processes.

No. International humanitarian law states that all parties to the conflict must respect and protect medical facilities in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called for the protection of hospitals, and medical personnel. The use of medical facilities for military purposes impedes the continued provision of medical care for the wounded and sick. Additionally, it may lead to the loss of specific protection under IHL, putting the lives of the wounded or sick and medical personnel at risk.

Anywhere in the world, where the ICRC observes a violation of international humanitarian law, we address it directly with the parties in a bilateral and confidential manner. 

The ICRC provides documents – called Attestations of Detention (AoD) – which certify that an individual has been detained. This is a humanitarian activity undertaken by the ICRC in many places around the world, in line with its mandate. Such a document in Israel is issued based on notification from the detaining authority. The ICRC is not involved in any stipend payment program involving the Palestinian Authority.

We are aware of a report on social media posts allegedly made from a personal account of an ICRC staff member. The views posted do not reflect those of the ICRC, which is a neutral and impartial humanitarian organization that works to alleviate the suffering of individuals affected by conflict on all sides. All ICRC staff members agree to, and are bound by, a code of conduct and we are investigating this matter thoroughly in line with our procedures, values, and principles.

We also strongly condemn the targeting of our staff online. While it may appear innocuous to share information online, the consequences are felt in real life by those targeted – especially when personal information is shared. Nothing warrants the targeting of individuals and calls for violence, online or offline. This puts at risk the safety of our staff, who work relentlessly to deliver on the ICRC’s mandate. It is crucial to fact-check before sharing, and to prevent the spread of harmful information to preserve the space that humanitarian organizations need to do their life-saving work. Read more on “Why is the ICRC concerned by ‘harmful information’ in war?”

The ICRC was not involved in the transfer of bodies from Israel to Gaza, outside of any agreement decided between the parties.

The ICRC stands ready to facilitate the transfer of the deceased as a part of its role as a neutral humanitarian intermediary and as per any agreement negotiated between parties, and in consultation with the ICRC. 

We reiterate that under international humanitarian law, the dead must be honorably buried in accordance with the rites of their religion, wherever possible. Parties must endeavor to facilitate the return of remains to families upon their request. The ICRC provides technical and material assistance, such as body bags and personal protective equipment, to responders and forensic professionals to support them in the collection and handling of the dead in line with best practices in this field. 

The ICRC consistently engages with the parties to the conflict reminding them of their obligations to respect the dignity of the dead and their families’ right to know the fate of those they have lost.

Disinformation can significantly undermine our work - and that of other humanitarian organizations - by creating mistrust, misrepresenting our activities, and complicating our ability to deliver humanitarian aid.

Misrepresenting the ICRC’s mandate or actions can weaken public understanding of the principles of international humanitarian law (IHL), leading to reduced respect for these principles and greater difficulty in protecting civilians and detainees.

In highly polarized environments, even rumors can escalate into physical threats. Attempts to distort public perception, delegitimizing our strictly humanitarian work and pushing dehumanizing narratives can have real world consequences and put lives at risk, not just of our staff but of the people we are seeking to help, including hostages and detainees. This is unacceptable.